Background & objective: Iressa, a new molecular targeting medicine, has some effects on advanced non-small cell lung cancer, but its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has seldom been reported. This study was to observe the efficacy and adverse effect of Iressa on HCC Hep-3B and HepG2 cell xenografts in nude mice.
Methods: The nude mice with Hep-3B and HepG2 cell xenografts were randomized into control group (8 mice), low-dose group (8 mice), and high-dose group (8 mice), and received daily oral gavage of 5% glucose solution, 100 mg/kg Iressa, and 200 mg/kg Iressa, respectively, by 5 days each week for 3 weeks. The mice were killed 2 days after treatment. Inhibitory rate (IR) of tumor growth was calculated. Tumor volume, mice weight, and spleen index (SI) were compared between groups.
Results: Body weight and tumor volume of the mice were caparable before treatment. IRs of Hep-3B cell xenograft growth were 32.77% in low-dose group and 46.99% in high-dose group; IRs of HepG2 cell xenograft growth were 68.57% and 75.24%, respectively. Body weight and SI of nude mice with either Hep-3B or HepG2 cell xenografts were significantly lower in high-dose group than in control group, but no obvious difference was observed between low-dose group and control group.
Conclusion: Iressa has obvious inhibitory effects on growth of both Hep-3B and HepG2 cell xenografts in nude mice, but high-dose (200 mg/kg) of Iressa may cause body weight lose and immunologic inhibition.