Epidermal growth factor receptor antisense oligonucleotides

1. A synthetic antisense oligonucleotide complementary to a nucleic acid encoding epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) comprising at least one phosphorothioate internucleotide linkage, the oligonucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in the Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 23.

2. The oligonucleotide of claim 1 wherein the oligonucleotide is 20 nucleotides in length.

3. The oligonucleotide of claim 1 , comprising a 2′-modified ribonucleotide.

4. The oligonucleotide of claim 1 , comprising at least four 2′-modified ribonucleotides.

5. The oligonucleotide of claim 3 , wherein the 2′-modified ribonucleotide is a 2′-alkyl ribonucleotide.

6. A method of inhibiting the synthesis of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a cell that expresses functional EGFR, comprising contacting the cell with the oligonucleotide of claim 1 .

7. A method of inhibiting the growth of a cancer cell expressing a functional epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), comprising contacting the cell with the oligonucleotide of claim 1 .

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cancer cell is a colon, ovarian or breast cancer cell.

9. A method of enhancing apoptosis in a cancer cell expressing a functional epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), comprising contacting the cell with the oligonucleotide of claim 1 .

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cancer cell is a colon, ovarian or breast cancer cell.

11. A method of potentiating the growth inhibitory effect of a cytotoxin in a cancer cell, comprising contacting the cell with the oligonucleotide of claim 1 and the cytotoxin.

12. The method of claim 11 , herein the cancer cell is a colon, ovarian or breast cancer cell.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cytotoxin is selected from the group consisting of cisplatin, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, topotecan, camptosar, and taxotere.