[Relationships between tumor shrinkage and peripheral blood cell changes during tumor-rejection induced by a high dose of 5-FU in C57BL/6 mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the alterations of complete blood counts and tumor shrinkage during tumor rejection induced by a high dose of 5-FU in C57BL/6 mice.


METHODS
Wild type C57BL/6 tumor-bearing mice were treated with different doses of 5-FU intraperitoneally. 75 mg/kg 5-FU was the minimal effective dose of 5-FU that could cure the tumor-bearing mice. Then another 6 tumor-bearing mice were treated intraperitoneally with 5-FU (75 mg/kg). Blood samples were obtained from orbital venous sinus on different days before and after 5-FU treatment, and then complete blood counts were performed and the relationship between the alterations of blood counts and tumor shrinkage after 5-FU treatment was analyzed.


RESULTS
Tumor sizes decreased steadily and tumors disappeared within the first week after 5-FU treatment; and at the same time 75 mg/kg 5-FU also had side effects on peripherial blood cells. The number of WBC significantly decreased from the first day after 5-FU treatment (P<0.001). But during the 7 th to 15 th day the number of WBC rebounced back to normal level (P>0.05). Later it decreased again and it couldn't recover back to normal level at the 28th day after 5-FU treatment (P<0.01). The concentration of Hb decreased at the first day and lasted for 2 weeks (P<0.01). It increased gradually back to normal in 2 weeks after 5-FU treatment. The inhibitory effect of 5-FU on platelets count was not obvious. The platelet count increased significantly at the first and at the 11th day after 5-FU treatment respectively (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor shrinkage after 5-FU treatment is not related to the decreased number of WBC or RBC, but correlated with the increased number of platelet at the first day after 5-FU treatment.
Li
Chuan-gang
CG
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China.
Li
Mo-lin
ML
Shu
Xiao-hong
XH
Liu
Yong-ji
YJ
Michael
Notter
N
Qin
Zhi-hai
ZH
D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011897:Random Allocation
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil