Human tumour xenografts in nude mice: chemotherapy trials with titanocene dichloride in different dosages

• Published in: Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology 1998, Vol.25 (1-2), p.5-8
• Main Authors: Villena-Heinsen, C, Friedrich, M, Ertan, A K, Schmidt, W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Body Weight; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous - drug therapy; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Mice; Mice, Nude; Neoplasm Transplantation; Organometallic Compounds - administration & dosage; Ovarian Neoplasms - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0390-6663

In this study new cytostatic therapies with titanocene dichloride in different dosages for the treatment of ovarian cancer are analyzed on human tumour xenografts in nude mice. The aim was to compare the effects of different dosages of titanocene dichloride on the growth of human tumour xenografts and nude mice body weight. Biopsy material from one human ovarian carcinoma was expanded and transplanted into 52 nude mice. The treatment protocol included one experiment that consisted of the following six treatment groups: titanocene dichloride 3 x 10 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 3 x 20 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 3 x 30 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 1 x 30 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 1 x 40 mg/kg and a control group treated with 0.9% saline. Treatment groups were evaluated in terms of average daily increase in tumour volume and average daily body weight increase on nude mice. The slope factors alpha and beta of the body weight and tumour volume changes were calculated. Titanocene dichloride in the dosage of 3 x 30 mg/kg and 3 x 20 mg/kg brought about a significant reduction in tumour volume (p < 0.05) compared to the control group and to the treatment group under medication with titanocene dichloride 1 x 30 mg/kg. There were no significant changes in the body weight of nude mice. We found titanocene dichloride to be effective in the reduction of tumour volume increase in nude mice. Titanocene dichloride could be an active chemotherapeutic drug in women with ovarian carcinoma not responding to standard therapies.