Cetuximab sensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma xenografts is associated with treatment-induced reduction in EGFR, pEGFR, and pSrc.

Background: The aims of this study were to validate in vitro drug sensitivity testing of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines in an in vivo xenograft model and to identify treatment-induced changes in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway that could be used as markers for cetuximab treatment response.

Materials And Methods: The in vitro and in vivo cetuximab sensitivity of two HNSCC cell lines, UT-SCC-14 and UT-SCC-45, was assessed using a crystal violet assay and xenografts in nude mice, respectively. The expression of EGFR, phosphorylated EGFR (pEGFR), phosphorylated Src (pSrc), and Ki-67 was investigated by immunohistochemistry.

Epidermal growth factor is a potential biomarker for poor cetuximab response in tongue cancer cells.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is frequently associated with aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling, which contributes to tumor growth. Here, the functional importance of EGFR ligands in relation to proliferation and sensitivity to the EGFR-targeted therapy cetuximab was investigated in three tongue cancer cell lines.

Methods: The influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF), amphiregulin (AR), and epiregulin (EPR) on tumor cell proliferation and cetuximab response was evaluated by the addition of recombinant human (rh) proteins or by siRNA-mediated downregulation of the endogenous ligand production.

EGFR status and EGFR ligand expression influence the treatment response of head and neck cancer cell lines.

Background: Combination treatment (chemoradiotherapy) is the standard treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC); however, treatment resistance and local recurrence are significant problems. A high level of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been associated with a more aggressive phenotype as well as decreased responsiveness to radio- or chemotherapy. We examined the role of EGFR status and EGFR ligand expression for the treatment response.

Proteins and single nucleotide polymorphisms involved in apoptosis, growth control, and DNA repair predict cisplatin sensitivity in head and neck cancer cell lines.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the possibility of using a panel of proteins and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) involved in apoptosis, growth control, and DNA repair as predictive markers for cisplatin sensitivity. For this purpose the intrinsic cisplatin sensitivity (ICS) was determined in 39 cell lines derived from squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck using a colony-forming assay. In these cell lines and in normal oral keratinocytes (NOK), the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Hsp70, Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, survivin, and COX-2 was determined.