ACRIDINONE COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING HEAD AND NECK CANCERS AND METHODS OF PROGNOSING HEAD AND NECK CANCERS

摘要

The invention relates to compositions useful in the treatment of a head and neck cancer, the composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an acridinone compound having the formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: - R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, are hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, -OR5, -OCOR6, or CF3, wherein R5 is hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, and R6 is substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl; - R3 is amino, alkylamino, -R7-NH2 or -R8-OH, wherein R7 and R8 are substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl; and - and R4 is H or substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient, or vehicle. The composition optionally includes at least one chemotherapeutic agent, such as a platinum anti-cancer drug. Also provided is a method of prognosing a head and neck cancer, in particular oral squamous cell carcinoma, in a subject, the method comprising measuring the expression levels of the biomarkers PLK-1 and/or Syk.