TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of Bortezomib and Cetuximab in EGF-stimulated HNSCC JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 2239 LP - 2243 VL - 28 IS - 4B AU - JENS WAGENBLAST AU - MEHRAN BAGHI AU - CHRISTOPH ARNOLDNER AU - SOTIRIOS BISDAS AU - WOLFGANG GSTÖTTNER AU - HANNS ACKERMANN AU - ANGELIKA MAY AU - RAINALD KNECHT AU - MARKUS HAMBEK Y1 - 2008/07/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/28/4B/2239.abstract N2 - Background: Proteasome inhibition has been shown to be effective in multiple myeloma and solid tumor models. In this in vitro study, the antitumor effect of bortezomib (Velcade®) in combination with cetuximab was investigated in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (HNSCC). Materials and Methods: Dose escalation studies were performed with five EGF-stimulated squamous cell carcinoma cell lines using bortezomib alone or in combination with cetuximab. Growth inhibitory and cell decline effects were measured quantitatively using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Results: Bortezomib alone showed no significant antiproliferative activity in any EGF-stimulated HNSCC cell line (p>0.05), whereas the combination of bortezomib and cetuximab had highly significant antitumoral activity (p<0.043). Conclusion: Our results indicate that cetuximab increases the cytotoxic activity of bortezomib in EGF-stimulated HNSCC cell lines. A combination treatment of HNSCC with bortezomib and cetuximab may allow a therapeutical regimen to be developed that is less toxic than the conventional drugs used for these tumors. Copyright© 2008 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved ER -