The effects of epirubicin hydrochloride (EPI) plus pretreatment of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on FM3A breast cancer cells transplanted in female C3H/He mice

Abstract

Background: Little is known about how breast cancer cells are affected by the different regimens of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) hormone therapy in combination with epirubicin (EPI).

Materials and methods: The effectiveness of EPI with and without MPA pretreatment was compared when used on FM3A mouse breast cancer (FM3A) cells transplanted in female C3H/He mice. The effects of these regimens on angiogenesis induced by FM3A tumor were evaluated.

Results: A significant enhancement of the effects of EPI on the growth of FM3A cells by continuous MPA treatment was observed. The continuous treatment of MPA with EPI was most effective in the inhibition of angiogenesis in the tumors in all regimens tested.

Conclusion: The combination of MPA pretreatment with EPI may be more effective than the simultaneous treatment of MPA with EPI for breast cancer. In addition, the results suggest that the anti-angiogenic effects of MPA combined with EPI on FM3A cells are parallel with the anti-tumor effects.