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Growth inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumors by controlled-release low-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate

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Summary

Since our previous findings had indicated that the androgenic steroid medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) exerts potent inhibitory effects on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced tumor growth, we have studied the effect of low doses of MPA released from Depo-Provera and from 50:50 poly[DL-lactide-co-glycolide] microspheres in the same DMBA-induced tumor model. The present data show that single subcutaneous injection of a 4-month controlled-release formulation of biodegradable 50:50 poly[DL-lactide-co-glycolide] microspheres containing 10 mg of MPA giving serum levels of 3.14±0.32 ng/ml (8.12±0.83 nM) MPA causes a maximal or near-maximal 60% inhibition of tumor growth measured 56 days later. Such data suggest that controlled-release formulations giving constant and low blood levels of MPA could be used for the treatment of breast cancer in women. Such a low concentration of MPA should avoid the side effects observed with the high doses of the compound.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Council of Canada Group in Molecular Endocrinology, CHUL Research Center and Laval University, G1V 4G2, Québec, Canada

    Shengmin Li, Martin Lepage, Yves Mérand, Alain Bélanger & Fernand Labrie

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  1. Shengmin Li
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  5. Fernand Labrie
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Li, S., Lepage, M., Mérand, Y. et al. Growth inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumors by controlled-release low-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate. Breast Cancer Res Tr 24, 127–137 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01961245

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