Long-duration, mild whole body hyperthermia with cisplatin: tumour response and kinetics of apoptosis and necrosis in a metastatic rat mammary adenocarcinoma

• Published in: International journal of hyperthermia Vol. 13; no. 5; p. 497
• Main Authors: Toyota, N, Strebel, F R, Stephens, L C, Matsuda, H, Bull, J M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1997
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Adenocarcinoma - therapy; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Apoptosis; Cisplatin - therapeutic use; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Hyperthermia, Induced; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental - therapy; Necrosis; Neoplasm Metastasis; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344
• ISSN: 0265-6736
• DOI: 10.3109/02656739709023548

This study examines antitumour effect and induction of apoptosis and necrosis after treatment with long-duration, mild whole body hyperthermia (LL-WBH, 40.0 degrees C, for 6 h) in simultaneous combination with cisplatin (CDDP) on primary and metastatic tumour growth in a rat mammary adenocarcinoma. A significantly greater delay in primary mammary tumour growth was observed after treatment with LL-WBH + CDDP, compared to either modality alone (p < 0.05). LL-WBH alone caused a significant delay in spontaneous metastasis to the axillary lymph node (ALN) and LL-WBH + CDDP tended to further increase the delay in ALN metastasis. Survival was longest in rats receiving LL-WBH + CDDP, compared to other groups (p < 0.05). CDDP induced a peak of tumour apoptosis at 24 h after treatment beginning that was significantly greater than LL-WBH alone (p < 0.05). The peak of tumour apoptosis induced by LL-WBH + CDDP from 12 to 24 h was significantly greater than any other group (p < 0.01). These results suggest that the extent of treatment-induced apoptosis seems to correlate positively with antitumour response and the combination or LL-WBH with CDDP may lead to a promising adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.