Combined treatment with cetuximab and STA9090 has synergistic anticancer effects on human non-small cell lung cancer

• Combination of cetuximab and STA9090 exhibits synergistic anticancer effects in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) models, outperforming monotherapies. • The synergistic mechanism involves inactivation of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathway, which is critical for tumor growth and metastasis. • STA9090, an Hsp90 inhibitor, demonstrates potent direct antitumor activity and enhances the efficacy of EGFR-targeted therapy. • The combination therapy significantly suppresses tumor growth in xenograft mouse models, suggesting a promising clinical strategy for NSCLC treatment.