The potentiation of radiation response on murine tumor by fludarabine phosphate

Fludarabine phosphate is a synthetic analog of beta-arabinofuranosyl adenine (beta-ara-A), an anti-viral agent. Since beta-ara-A has been shown to be an effective inhibitor of potentially lethal damage (PLD) repair in cell culture system but ineffective in in vivo tumors, we carried out experiments to determine whether fludarabine phosphate which is not inactivated by adenosine deaminase potentiates the radiation effects on in vivo murine tumor. The combined effects of single acute fludarabine phosphate (600 mg/kg) and single dose of X-irradiation (20 Gy) on Meth-A fibrosarcomas in BALB/c mice produced more than 90% tumor control, while the radiation alone resulted in less than 10% tumor control. The radiosensitizing effect by fludarabine phosphate was higher when the drug was administered immediately prior to X-irradiation. The dose modifying factor of fludarabine phosphate is estimated to be 1.6 at 400 mg/kg. Experiments with fractionated irradiation and fludarabine phosphate similarly showed a high rate of tumor control. The present study suggests that inhibitors of PLD repair including several antiviral agents may have potential utility in the treatment of some radioresistant human tumors by radiotherapy.