The effects of epirubicin hydrochloride (EPI) plus pretreatment of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on FM3A breast cancer cells transplanted in female C3H/He mice.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about how breast cancer cells are affected by the different regimens of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) hormone therapy in combination with epirubicin (EPI).


METHODS
The effectiveness of EPI with and without MPA pretreatment was compared when used on FM3A mouse breast cancer (FM3A) cells transplanted in female C3H/He mice. The effects of these regimens on angiogenesis induced by FM3A tumor were evaluated.


RESULTS
A significant enhancement of the effects of EPI on the growth of FM3A cells by continuous MPA treatment was observed. The continuous treatment of MPA with EPI was most effective in the inhibition of angiogenesis in the tumors in all regimens tested.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of MPA pretreatment with EPI may be more effective than the simultaneous treatment of MPA with EPI for breast cancer. In addition, the results suggest that the anti-angiogenic effects of MPA combined with EPI on FM3A cells are parallel with the anti-tumor effects.
Yuyama
Yuichi
Y
Department of Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, South-1, West-16, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan.
Yagihashi
Atsuhito
A
Hirata
Koichi
K
Suzuki
Yasuyo
Y
Ohmura
Tohsei
T
Okazaki
Minoru
M
Watanabe
Naoki
N
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015251:Epirubicin; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone