The synergistic cytotoxicity of cisplatin and taxol in killing oral squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Platinum, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and taxanes are commonly used in chemotherapeutic modalities of various carcinomas. However, taxanes are rarely used in patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is a synergistic effect produced by incorporating Taxol (paclitaxel) with cisplatin, carboplatin or 5-FU in the combined treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).


METHODS
OSCC cells were surgically excised from a Taiwanese patient and cultured into a cell line, OECM-1. The viability of OECM-1 after drug treatment was determined by an XTT labeling reagent.


RESULTS
The dose-dependent cytotoxicity of each drug was determined. The order of chemosensitivity of OECM-1 toward these drugs was Taxol, cisplatin, carboplatin and 5-FU, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) of 10, 68, 332 and 3000 microM, respectively. In the combined drug treatment, low concentrations of platinum (10 microM) or 5-FU (500 microM) were included in the culture media with low cytotoxic concentrations of Taxol (0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 microM). When combined with 0.025 microM of Taxol, only cisplatin, rather than carboplatin and 5-FU, showed synergistic cytotoxicity with OECM-1. Cisplatin also acted synergistically with 0.05 and 0.1 microM of Taxol. On the other hand, carboplatin and 5-FU acted additively with low cytotoxic concentrations of Taxol (0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 microM).


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary results suggest that there may be a beneficial outcome in incorporating Taxol into the chemotherapeutic modalities of HNSCC patients in Taiwan. Furthermore, at least some of the OSCC cells may be more sensitive to Taxol/cisplatin than to Taxol/carboplatin or Taxol/5-FU treatment.
Department of Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Republic of China.
Guan-Cheng
GC
Huang
Shyun-Yeu
SY
Liu
Mei-Huei
MH
Lin
Yung-Yen
YY
Kuo
Young-Chau
YC
Liu
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil