Antitumor effect of gefitinib on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma enhanced by trastuzumab.
The overexpression of EGFR and/or HER-2 is associated with tumor cell resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, disease progression and poor prognosis in patients with a variety of malignant tumors. Treatment combining the EGFR-targeting drug, gefitinib (ZD1839, Iressa) with the HER-2-targeting drug, trastuzumab (Herceptin) has been reported to improve therapeutic efficacy in patients with breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine the antitumor effect of this combination on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in vitro. Cell proliferation was inhibited significantly in two cell lines. Although IC50 of gefitinib alone against some cell lines was not reached, it was achieved after being combined with trastuzumab. Furthermore, IC50 was lower for the combination than for gefitinib alone in several cell lines. These results suggest that the combination may improve efficacy against HNSCC.
Kondo
Norio
N
Department of Biology and Function in Head and Neck, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. t076022c@yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Ishiguro
Yukari
Y
Kimura
Machiko
M
Sano
Daisuke
D
Fujita
Kyoko
K
Sakakibara
Atsuko
A
Taguchi
Takahide
T
Toth
Gabor
G
Matsuda
Hideki
H
Tsukuda
Mamoru
M
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab