A previous study found that cetuximab downregulates ASCT2 via cetuximab-mediated EGFR endocytosis, leading to enhanced ROS-induced apoptosis in HNSCC.20,22 In the present study, targeting ASCT2 alone was sufficient to sensitise HNSCC to ROS-induced apoptosis, which was potentially due to the decreased glutathione downstream of glutamine metabolism. The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.