[Experimental antimetastatic activity of aclarubicin]

Marked antimetastatic activity of aclarubicin, an anthracycline antibiotic, was demonstrated on models of spontaneous and artificial metastases of murine tumors such as Lewis lung carcinoma and melanoma B16. The activity depended on the antibiotic dose and administration regimen. The highest antitumor effect of aclarubicin was observed when the antibiotic was used at the earliest periods after intravenous injection of the tumor cells (the model of artificial metastases) or after amputation of the limb with the tumor (spontaneous metastases). Aclarubicin was active after administration by any of the routes used: intravenous, intraperitoneal and oral, the latter by its efficiency being not inferior to the parenteral administration. When used intravenously aclarubicin showed activity similar to that of adriamycin. However, after oral administration only aclarubicin had antimetastatic action.