Prevention and therapy of squamous cell carcinoma of the rodent esophagus using freeze-dried black raspberries.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to determine if short-term treatment of Nnitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced tumors in the rat esophagus with dietary freeze-dried black raspberries (FBR) would result in tumor regression and enhanced survival of the animals.


METHODS
Four-week-old male Fisher-344 rats were administered an AIN-76A control diet and injected subcutaneously with 0.5 mg/kg NMBA once per week for 15 weeks. At 19 weeks, when rats had an average of 5-6 tumors (papillomas) per esophagus, they were given a control diet containing either 5%, 10%, or 20% FBR. After 7 weeks of berry treatment, all surviving rats were killed and tumor incidence, number and volume were determined.


RESULTS
Esophageal tumor incidences, numbers and volumes in NMBA-treated rats were not influenced by any of the berry treatments. There were progressive increases in the survival of NMBA-treated rats fed 5%-20% FBR diets; however, these increases were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
FBR at 5%, 10%, and 20% of the diet had no effect on the development of NMBA-induced tumors in the rat esophagus or on animal survival when administered for 7 weeks beginning at the papilloma stage of tumor development. Thus, FBR appear to have no therapeutic value in the treatment of esophageal tumors. In contrast, dietary FBR are highly effective in preventing the development of NMBA-induced esophageal tumors in rats when administered before and during NMBA treatment or shortly after NMBA treatment when the esophagi contain preneoplastic (dysplastic) lesions of varying degrees of severity.
Stoner
Gary D
GD
Division of Hematology and Oncology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. gary.stoner@osumc.edu
Aziz
Robeena M
RM
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004947:Esophagus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005638:Fruit; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012393:Rosacea; D013997:Time Factors
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents