Experimental study of the effects on apoptosis of docetaxel alone and in combination with irradiation

The effects of docetaxel alone and in combination with irradiation were experimentally investigated in terms of induction of apoptosis. A human ependymoblastoma was transplanted into nude mice, and they were intravenously injected with docetaxel, followed or preceded by irradiation with a single dose of 2 Gy. Apoptosis was less common in the docetaxel-alone group than in the irradiation-alone group. When administration of docetaxel was followed by irradiation, apoptosis was equal to or less common than in the irradiation-alone group. Apoptosis was most common in the irradiation-followed-by-docetaxel group. The incidence of mitosis was lower in the irradiation-alone group and the irradiation-followed-by-docetaxel group than in the docetaxel-alone group and the docetaxel-followed-by-irradiation group. The combined effect of irradiation and docetaxel appears to be useful in inducing apoptosis, but the sequence of irradiation and docetaxel is important.