COMBINATION AND TIMING OF LENTINAN WITH OTHER CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS

PART 1. EXPERIMENT ON SARCOMA-180 SOLID TUMORS

Abstract

Lentinan administered with cyclophosphamide in the early stages of sarcoma-180 solid tumor growth in mice invariably results in stronger tumor inhibition than with either agent alone.
In the established tumor, however, the effect of lentinan with cyclophosphamide depended on the timing of the combination.
When cyclophosphamide was administered prior to lentinan in established sarcoma-180, no additive effect was observed. Simultaneous administration of lentinan and cyclophosphamide, however, resulted in stronger tumor inhibition than that of either agent alone.
In simultaneous combination lentinan significantly prevented the lowering of delayed-type hypersensitivity and leukopenia caused by administration of cyclophosphamide.
Additive effects of lentinan with cisplatin, adriamycin, carboquone, UFT, tegafur and bleomycin were also observed in suppressing tumor growth.