I just read some interesting information on how Erbitux works. When used in conjunction with radiation, it "...makes the cells less likely to recover after radiation".

Evidently the researchers have found that RT on certain cancer stem cells "may actuate a signaling pathway that alerts the cancer stem cells to start repairing themselves" (this was discovered in a study on breast cancer so I do not know how applicable this is to H&N cancer) but the article goes on to say that ""it (Erbitux) has been especially helpful in lung and head and neck cancers".

To summarize the article, multimodality treatment protocols can "maximize the chance that we'll win"

The research was done at UCLA by Dr. Hak Choy.
Cure Magazine, Special Issue, Volume 7, 2008, page37

Last edited by Gary; 11-21-2008 09:20 AM.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)