Sensitization of Radiation or Gemcitabine-Based Chemoradiation Therapeutic Effect by Nimotuzumab in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

This study was performed to observe the effect of the combination of nimotuzumab with radiation or gemcitabine-based chemoradiation on antipancreatic cancer cell therapy. Pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) were treated with nimotuzumab alone or combined with radiation (2, 4, or 8 Gy), which was either with or without gemcitabine chemotherapy. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were observed. The inhibition rate, the percentage of G2/M phase arrest, and the apoptosis rate of the combined nimotuzumab with radiation group was significantly higher than the group without nimotuzumab (P < .001). The inhibition rate, the percentage of G2/M phase, and the apoptosis rate of the nimotuzumab therapy combined with gemcitabine-based chemoradiation group were obviously higher than that in gemcitabine-based chemoradiation group (P < .001). In conclusion, nimotuzumab could enhance the anticancer effect of radiation and gemcitabine-based chemoradiation in PANC-1 cancer cells because of the enhancement of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.