The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; ErbB-1; HER1 in humans) is the cell-surface receptor for members of the epidermal growth factor family (EGF-family) of extracellular protein ligands. The EGFR is essential for ductal development of the mammary glands, and agonists of the EGFR such as amphiregulin, TGF-α, and heregulin induce both ductal and lobuloalveolar development even in the absence of estrogen and progesterone.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is a gene involved in making cells grow and multiply. EGFR activating mutations are believed to cause the cells to multiply excessively.
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathway inhibition is now established as an option for the first-, second- and third-line treatments of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Soluble epidermal growth factor receptor (sEGFR/sErbB1) is a potential risk, screening, and diagnostic serum biomarker of epithelial ovarian cancer.