The effectiveness of cis-platinum, cyclophosphamide and melphalan in treating disseminated tumor cells in mice

p38MAPK family isoform p38α and activating transcription factor 2 are associated with the malignant phenotypes and poor prognosis of patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma

This study was to identify the biomarkers for the malignancy and poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer. The protein expression of p38MAPK family isoform p38α (p38α) and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) was measured in 120 ovarian serous adenocarcinomas and 34 normal fallopian tubes using immunohistochemistry. Stable OV-90 cells expressing p38α and ATF2 inhibitor were established using shRNA lentivirus. Cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were analyzed in vitro. Tumor growth and chemosensitivity were investigated in xenograft tumor models. The percentage of positive p38α and ATF2 expression was significantly higher in ovarian serous adenocarcinomas than that in normal fallopian tubes. Positive p38α and ATF2 expression were significantly associated with high clinical stage (III/IV), lymph node metastasis, and shorter overall survival. Silencing of p38α and ATF2 gene expression in OV-90 cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. OV-90 cells with p38α and ATF2 gene being silenced grew significantly slow and were significantly sensitive to the chemotherapy compared to cells with high p38α and ATF2 expression. p38α and ATF2 expression play a crucial role in the malignant phenotypes of ovarian tumor cells and are a marker for the poor prognosis of patients with ovarian serous adenocarcinomas.

Interactions between cancer cells and the microvasculature: a rate-regulator for metastasis

Hematogenous metastasis is a major consideration in the staging, treatment and prognosis of patients with cancer. Key events affecting hematogeneous metastasis occur in the microvasculature. This is a brief, selective review of some interactions involving cancer cells and the microvasculature in pathologic sequence, specifically: (1) intravasation of cancer cells; (2) the arrest of circulating cancer cells in the microvasculature; (3) cancer cell trauma associated with arrest; (4) microvascular trauma; (5) the inflammatory; and (6) the hemostatic coagulative responses associated with arrest, and finally (7) angiogenesis, leading to tumor vascularization. The evidence shows that through a series of complex interactions with cancer cells, the microvasculature acts as a rate-regulator for the metastatic process, in addition to providing routes for cancer cell dissemination and arrest sites for cancer cell emboli.

Influence of misonidazole, SR-2508, RSU-1069 and WR-2721 on spontaneous metastases in C57BL mice

The effect of treatments with the hypoxic cell radiosensitizers misonidazole (MISO), SR-2508, RSU-1069, and with the radioprotector WR-2721 on spontaneously disseminated Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and B16 melanoma (B16M) was investigated. Tumors were implanted into the tails of C57BL mice and were surgically removed after reaching volumes of approximately 40 mm3. This technique results in the induction of metastatic disease in lungs and at other anatomical sites and allows the independent treatment of disseminated tumor cells. The radiosensitizers and the radioprotector were administered 24 hr after surgery and animals were killed 14 and 30 days after removal of LLC and B16M, respectively. The time to death from spontaneous metastases was also measured. Both single treatments with large doses of MISO (1.0 g/kg) and fractionated therapy with smaller doses (0.5 g/kg on 5 consecutive days) promoted the formation of metastases to the lungs, lymph nodes and other organs. The survival times of MISO treated animals did not differ from control animals but manifestation of metastatic disease in the lungs and other organs occurred at earlier times. Administration of equitoxic doses of SR-2508 (3.0 g/kg) and RSU-1069 (0.1 g/kg) also promoted metastases formation. Mice treated with these radiosensitizers developed more metastases in the lungs and at other sites. Treatment with a single dose of WR-2721 (0.4 g/kg) promoted lung metastases but exerted a suppressive effect on lymph node tumors. When the radioprotector was given in fractionated schedules in three different doses (0.05 g/kg, 0.1 g/kg and 0.2 g/kg for 10 consecutive days) a slight enhancement of lung metastases and suppression of extrapulmonary metastases was observed.