Effect of fluconazole on the growth and adhesion of Candida albicans in the presence of antineoplastic agents.

The effect of fluconazole and the antineoplastic agents etoposide and methotrexate on the growth and adhesion of Candida albicans were studied. All the tested chemicals inhibited the growth and the adhesion of the yeast to buccal epithelial cells, while fluconazole and etoposide inhibited the adhesion to acrylate surface as well. Our experiments also demonstrated that etoposide and methotrexate interfered with the inhibitory effect of fluconazole on both the growth and cell adhesion. While etoposide strengthened the inhibitory effect of fluconazole, in the presence of methotrexate fluconazole showed lower inhibition on both the growth and adhesion.