Prevention of paclitaxel and cisplatin induced ovarian damage in rats by a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the protective effect of GnRH agonist for the prevention of ovarian reserve during treatment with paclitaxel and cisplatin.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
University-based research laboratory.


METHODS
Seventy female Wistar-Albino rats.


METHODS
Each group consisted of 10 rats. Group 1 served as controls. Groups without GnRH agonist (groups 2, 3, and 4) were administered paclitaxel and cisplatin, respectively; the remaining groups (groups 5, 6, and 7) were given the same regimens with GnRH agonist. The GnRH agonist (leuprolide acetate; 2.5 microg/d subcutaneously for 5 weeks) was started four weeks before chemotherapy to achieve anovulation. Paclitaxel (7.5 mg/kg) and cisplatin (5 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally on the 28th day as a single dose.


METHODS
One week after the chemotherapy, the animals were euthanized and primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary follicle counts were evaluated.


RESULTS
Primordial, primary, and tertiary follicle counts in group 5 (paclitaxel plus GnRH agonist) and tertiary follicles in groups 2 and 3 had not decreased, but there was a significant decrease in other treatment groups compared with controls (P < 0.05). Binary comparison between all groups demonstrated that the primordial follicle count in group 5 was comparable to those of the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Paclitaxel plus GnRH agonist treatment may be an appropriate option for patients deserving further fertility in the preservation of primordial follicles.
Ozcelik
Bulent
B
Erciyes University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey. bozcelik@erciyes.edu.tr
Turkyilmaz
Cagdas
C
Ozgun
Mahmut Tuncay
MT
Serin
Ibrahim Serdar
IS
Batukan
Cem
C
Ozdamar
Saim
S
Ozturk
Ahmet
A