title: In vivo synergistic cytogenetic effects of aminophylline on lymphocyte cultures from patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The anti-cancer and cytogenetic effects of aminophylline (AM) have been demonstrated in several clinical trials. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo cytogenetic effects of AM in newly diagnosed patients with small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), receiving chemotherapy for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and proliferation rate index (PRI) were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures from six patients with SCLC and six patients with NSCLC after the in vitro addition of AM and after the in vivo administration of AM in patients receiving chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The in vitro addition of AM significantly increased SCEs only in SCLC patients (p<0.001). The in vivo administration of AM after chemotherapy increased SCEs in both cancer types (SCLC: p<0.001, NSCLC: p=0.003) and this increase was synergistic, the rates of SCEs in the presence of AM were higher than the expected SCE values if the increases above background for chemotherapy and AM were independent and additive (SCLC: p<0.001, NSCLC: p=0.008). Although in both groups of patients cell division delays were observed after the combined chemotherapy plus in vivo AM treatment, the correlation between the magnitude of the SCE response and the PRI depression was not statistically significant (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations suggest that AM enhances the results of concurrently administered chemotherapy by synergistically increasing its cytogenetic effects in patients with lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mylonaki
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manika
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zarogoulidis
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Domvri
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voutsas
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zarogoulidis
authors.forename: Dionysios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mourelatos
mesh_terms: D000628:Aminophylline / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000628:Aminophylline