Propylthiouracil-induced hypothyroidism reduces xenograft tumor growth in athymic nude mice

✍ Scribed by Chris Theodossiou; Nebojsa Skrepnik; Everett G. Robert; Chandan Prasad; Thomas W. Axelrad; David V. Schapira; Jay D. Hunt

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 110 KB
• Volume: 86
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19991015)86:8<1596::aid-cncr30>3.0.co;2-c

✦ Synopsis

BACKGROUND.

Thyroid hormones are endocrine modulators of several vital processes that are crucial to tumor growth and differentiation. Several anecdotal reports in the literature suggest that some histologic types of carcinoma may remain in a dormant state for prolonged periods of time in patients with hypothyroidism, with eventual progression of the disease once the decreased thyroid function is identified and corrected.

METHODS.

Oral propylthiouracil (PTU) was used to induce hypothyroidism in athymic nude mice that were subsequently inoculated with lung adenocarcinoma and prostate adenocarcinoma cells. Mice were also treated with a combination of PTU and thyroxine, which resulted in hyperthyroid levels of T 4 .