Intratumoral epidermal growth factor receptor antisense DNA therapy in head and neck cancer: first human application and potential antitumor mechanisms.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is characterized by upregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We developed a novel strategy to target EGFR by using a therapeutic gene that consisted of an EGFR antisense (AS) gene sequence under U6 promoter control. A phase I clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and biologic effects of EGFR AS.

Patients and methods

Patients with advanced SCCHN who were refractory to standard therapies and who had at least one assessable and accessible lesion were enrolled. The EGFR AS dose was escalated in successive cohorts (six dose levels; 60 to 1,920 microg/injection). Patients received four weekly intratumoral EGFR AS injections. Tumor biopsies were performed before and after completion of th

SUBMITTER: Lai SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2667824 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature