Pharmacological ascorbic acid suppresses syngeneic tumor growth and metastases in hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test for the influence of ascorbic acid on tumorigenicity and metastases of implanted PAIII prostate cancer adenocarcinoma cells in syngeneic LW rats.


METHODS
Hormone-refractory prostate cancer PAIII cells were implanted subcutaneously into immunologically intact, Lobund-Wistar (LW) rats. Intraperitoneal pharmacological doses of ascorbic acid were administered each day for the ensuing 30 days. On the 40th day, animals were sacrificed. Local tumor weights were measured, and metastases were counted.


RESULTS
At the end of the 40 day experimental period, the primary tumors were found to be significantly reduced in weight (p=0.026). In addition, sub-pleural lung metastases were even more profoundly reduced in number and size (p=0.009). Grossly enlarged ipsilateral lymph node metastases declined from 7 of 15 rats to 1 of 15 rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacological doses of ascorbic acid suppress tumor growth and metastases in hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
Pollard
Harvey B
HB
Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, USUHS, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. hpollard@usuhs.mil
Levine
Mark A
MA
Eidelman
Ofer
O
Pollard
Morris
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012372:ROC Curve; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000975:Antioxidants; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid