Evaluation of the Effect of Thymol on the Cytotoxicity of Cetuximab in Lung Cancer Cells

The treatment of lung cancer continues to be a significant challenge for many oncologists and their patients. Treatment using epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors is connected to a positive outcome. Cetuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), in conjunction with monoterpene phenol thymol, is recommended for the treatment of lung cancer. While a mild acne-like skin rash is quite frequent in patients using cetuximab, a severe rash is rare. The goal of the current study was to assess whether thymol could enhance the anticancer effectiveness of cetuximab in A-549, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line. We found that the combination of cetuximab and thymol synergistically suppressed cell proliferation by inducing membrane damaging, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in A-549 cells. Taken together, our results indicate that the combination of thymol and cetuximab could improve anticancer responses and may notably enhance treatment outcomes in NSCLC.