Chemoendocrine therapy in DMBA-induced rat mammary carcinoma

In the present study, chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil(5-Fu), endocrine therapy with tamoxifen (TAM), and chemoendocrine therapy with concominant use of 5-FU and TAM were performed and compared for DMBA-induced rat mammary carcinoma, a hormone-dependent tumor. The study was designed to assess the usefulness of chemoendorine therapy based on the antitumor effects and changes in hormone receptor levels. The response rates in the groups treated with 5-Fu or TAM alone and the combination of 5-Fu and TAM were 60%, 50% and 62%, respectively. There was no difference in these response rates. The tumor regression rates in these treatment groups were 22 +/- 69%, 20 +/- 54% and 46 +/- 37%; again there was no difference among the three groups. After treatment, the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) levels decreased significantly in the groups treated with TAM alone and the combination of 5-FU and TAM but remained unchanged in the group treated with 5-FU alone. The decreases in the ER and PgR levels in responsive tumors after treatment were considerably greater in the groups greated with TAM alone and the combination of 5-FU and TAM than in the group treated with 5-FU alone. However, the changes in the receptor levels in nonresponsive tumors did not differ among the three treatment groups. Moreover, there were no differences in the antitumor effects and changes in receptor levels between the groups treated with TAM alone and the combination of 5-FU and TAM. These results suggest that the antitumor effect observed in the combination therapy with 5-FU and TAM was mainly due to the action of TAM. In brief, the expected additive effects of chemoendocrine therapy were not observed.