Significance of the preoperative intravesical instillation of doxorubicin and the oral administration of 5-fluorouracil in preventing recurrence after a transurethral resection of superficial bladder cancer. Kyushu University Urological Oncology Group

Ampelopsin sodium exhibits antitumor effects against bladder carcinoma in orthotopic xenograft models

The aim of this study was to establish xenograft models of tumor in mice bladder and evaluate the antitumor efficacy of ampelopsin sodium (Amp-Na). A total of 2×10 human bladder carcinoma EJ cells and murine sarcoma 180 cells were instilled into the bladder of BALB/c nu/nu mice and Swiss mice after preconditioning to establish the tumor model. Mice bearing orthotopic tumors were treated with Amp-Na by intravenous, intraperitoneal, or intravesical instillation. In addition, the pharmacokinetics property of Amp-Na was investigated in normal BALB/c mice. Our results showed that Amp-Na was excreted mainly through the urine, where it existed at a high concentration. Amp-Na significantly inhibited the proliferation of EJ and sarcoma 180 cells both in vivo and in vitro and this can be at least partially attributed to the cell cycle arrest induced by Amp-Na. This study suggests that the use of Amp-Na is an attractive chemotherapeutic modality for bladder cancer patients.

Intraprostatic chemotherapy: distribution and transport mechanisms

PURPOSE

The present study evaluated the tissue distribution and targeting advantage of intraprostatic chemotherapy.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We studied the delivery and spatial distribution of a fluorescent drug, doxorubicin, in the prostate of beagle dogs, after intraprostatic or i.v. administration. Drug concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography and confocal fluorescence microscopy.

RESULTS

I.v. and intraprostatic injections yielded qualitatively and quantitatively different doxorubicin distribution in the prostate. A relatively homogeneous distribution was found after i.v. administration, whereas intraprostatic injection yielded a highly heterogeneous distribution with >10-fold higher concentrations localized in a cone-shaped glandular lobule bound by fibromuscular stroma, compared with other parts of the prostate. Compared with i.v. injection, intraprostatic injection yielded, on average, approximately 100-fold higher tissue-to-plasma concentration ratio, ranging from 963-fold near the injection site to 19-fold in the contralateral half of the prostate. The drug distribution within the prostate further suggests an important role for acinar flow in intraprostatic drug transport.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraprostatic administration represents a viable option to deliver high drug concentrations within the prostate. The results further suggest the fibromuscular stroma separating the prostatic lobules as a major barrier to drug transport and convective flow as an important drug transport mechanism in the prostate.