In the ex vivo short-time chemoresponse assay FLAVINO, we used alterations in colony formation and cytokine release of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) as read-out for response of HNSCC to cilengitide plus cetuximab. The gene discussed is CCL2; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.