title: Effects of progesterone on ovarian tumorigenesis in xenografted mice.
abstract: Circumstantial evidence indicates that progestins reduce the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. We report that the tumorigenic capacity of human ovarian carcinoma (SKOV-3) cells inoculated into the peritoneal cavity of athymic mice is suppressed by pretreatment with subcutaneous progesterone-releasing pellets. Numbers of tumor implants on the intestines/mesentery and invasiveness into underlying host tissues were reduced at 6 weeks following exposure to progesterone. Progesterone prevented tumors from forming on the liver. Life spans of progesterone-treated animals were prolonged. There was no beneficial effect of administration of progesterone if initiated after ovarian tumors had become established on organ surfaces. Our findings implicate a role for progesterone in ovarian cancer prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Animal Science and Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McDonnel
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Van Kirk
authors.forename: Dale D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Isaak
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Murdoch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone