Synergistic Effects of 5-FU and Cisplatin in Melanoma Treatment

Melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, poses significant therapeutic challenges due to its high metastatic potential and resistance to conventional treatments. This study investigates the synergistic effects of combining 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) on the A375 human melanoma cell line. Using in vitro assays, the authors determined the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 5-FU (0.25 μM) and CDDP (2 μM) and evaluated their impact on cell viability, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion. The combination treatment demonstrated superior efficacy compared to monotherapy, significantly reducing cell proliferation and colony formation. Transwell assays revealed enhanced inhibition of migration and invasion in the combination group. Mechanistically, Western blot analysis showed that the combined treatment markedly suppressed phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, key components of the AKT/ERK signaling pathway, which is critical for melanoma progression.