Sensitization of squamous cell carcinoma to cisplatin induced killing by natural agents.
Ali S, Varghese L, Pereira L, Tulunay-Ugur OE, Kucuk O, Carey TE, Wolf GT, Sarkar FH.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.

Cisplatin resistance is a major problem in the successful treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In the present study we showed, for the first time, that the constitutive activation of NF-kappaB partly contributes to cisplatin resistance and that the inactivation of NF-kappaB by natural agents [G2535 (isoflavone mixture containing genistein and diadzein), 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM)] could overcome this resistance, resulting in the inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis, which might be a useful strategy for achieving better treatment outcome in patients diagnosed with cisplatin-resistant tumors of SCC.