Evaluation of nonhormonal cytotoxic chemotherapy in the Nb rat prostate adenocarcinoma: autonomous tumor (18-Pr and 13-Pr).

The Nb rat prostatic adenocarcinomas is an appropriate animal model for the study of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. The autonomous tumor, 18-Pr, was evaluated with single-agent cytotoxic chemotherapy consisting of actinomycin-D, BCNU, cyclophosphamide, and two doses of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The effect of these agents was significant (P less than 0.05) when cyclophosphamide, BCNU, and the higher dose of 5-FU were used. The autonomous tumor, 13-Pr, was treated with 5-FU, methotrexate, adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide. A significant effect was observed with methotrexate and cyclophosphamide (P less than 0.05). These chemotherapeutic agents were evaluated in this animal model in order to test its suitability for evaluating BCNU and actinomycin-D, agents not currently being administered for the treatment of prostatic adenocarcinoma, and in order to evaluate agents that have yielded objective responses in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. These tumors have been effectively treated with cyclophosphamide, 5-FU, and methotrexate, as well as BCNU, and agent not currently in vogue for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer.