Bauman JE, et al. - Researchers investigated the antitumor effects of cetuximab and epidermal growth factor receptor-antisense plasmid DNA (EGFR-AS) in preclinical head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) models, and described the results of adding intratumoral EGFR-AS to cetuximab radiation therapy (RT) in their phase 1 trial. Eligible study participants included those with stage IVA-IVC HNSCC and a measurable lesion accessible for repeat injection. The investigators administered standard cetuximab to these patients for 9 weeks. EGFR-AS was injected weekly until patients achieved a lesional complete response. For 7 weeks, patients received radiation therapy delivered by conventional fractionation, starting at week 3. Enhanced antitumor effects were observed a result of dual EGFR inhibition with cetuximab and EGFR-AS in preclinical models. Findings demonstrated good tolerability of intratumoral EGFR-AS injections, cetuximab, and RT in this phase 1 cohort.