title: Combined effect of levan and cytotoxic agents on the growth of experimental tumours in mice.
abstract: The combined effect of the polysaccharide levan (previously shown to exert a host-dependent as well as direct antitumoural activity) and the cytotoxic agents cyclophosphamide (CY), methotrexate (MTX), vincristine (VINC) and 5-fluoro-uracil (SFU) was studied in Lewis lung carcinoma and AKR lymphoma. Combined chemo- and immunotherapy was applied beginning on the day of tumour cell inoculation. Additive effects were obtained with the combined treatments, compared to single treatments, with all the combinations except MTX-levan in Lewis lung carcinoma, where the combined effect was synergistic. The additive effect was obtained with different doses and routes of chemotherapy, whether local or intraperitoneal. A 2 mg dose of CY combined with levan administered at daily doses of 10 mg, resulted in a 100% prevention of Lewis lung carcinoma growth. It is suggested that the levan may have two beneficial effects: it can exert an inhibitory effect on tumour growth and diminish the deleterious effect of cytotoxic agents on the immune system.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005630:Fructans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005630:Fructans; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate