VEGF-A and TGF-β in bioptates of oral squamous cell carcinoma reflect tumor response to chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies (cetuximab).
e18563 Background: Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody directed against the EGFR receptor, able to block the EGFR signaling pathway and also indirectly affect the secretion of some growth factors. The search for biomarkers responsible for cetuximab resistance is an urgent task. The purpose of the study was to analyze VEGF-A and TGF-β levels in tumor tissue bioptates in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity receiving chemotherapy (CT) and cetuximab. Methods: The study included 30 patients with HNSCC St III-IV, T3-4N0-1M0. All patients received 2 cycles: cisplatin 100 mg/m2, intravenously, day 1, 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2/day, intravenously, 96-hour continuous infusion, in combination with targeted therapy cetuximab 400 mg/m2 on day 1 in a loading dose, then 250 mg/m2 on days 8 and 15). Patients were divided into two groups: with response to cetuximab and CT (partial regression and stabilization) n = 17 and progression considered (resistance to the treatment) n = 13. Levels of VEGF-A and TGF-β were determined in tumor tissue bioptates by ELISA using standard test systems (Bender Med System, Austria). Statistical processing of results was performed using the Statistica 6.0 program (Stat-Soft, 2001). Results: CT and cetuximab in patients with resistance did not result in statistically significant changes in levels of VEGF-A, TGF-β and the VEGF-A/TGF-β ratio in tumor tissue bioptates, compared to the initial values. The studied markers in tumor tissue bioptates in patients with response to CT were statistically significantly different from the initial values: VEGF-A was decreased by 1.46 times, TGF-β by 2.96 times, while the VEGF-A/TGF-β ratio was twice elevated (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results on levels of VEGF-A and TGF-β and the VEGF-A/TGF-β ratio are of a prognostic value and can be used for evaluating the efficacy of cetuximab and CT in patients with HNSCC.