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Inhibition of Rat Mammary Gland Chemical Carcinogenesis by Dietary Dehydroepiandrosterone or a Fluorinated Analogue of Dehydroepiandrosterone¹

Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Life Sciences Division, IIT Research Institute, Chicago, Illinois 60616 [T. A. R., R. G. M., C. J. D., and R. C. M.], and National Cancer Institute, Chemoprevention Branch, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 [G. J. K.]

The chemopreventive efficacy of p.o. administered dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA plus N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4-HPR), or 16-fluoro-5-androsten-17-one (DHEA analogue 8354) was examined in rats treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU; 50 mg/kg body weight, i.v.) at 50 days of age. Semipurified diet (AIN-76A) containing each steroid alone, or DHEA plus 4-HPR, was administered during initiation (-1 week to +1 week post-MNU), promotion/progression (+1 week post-MNU to termination), or both phases (-1 week post-MNU to termination) of the carcinogenic process. Neither DHEA nor DHEA analogue 8354 (0.2%, w/w) significantly affected the initiation of mammary cancer when administered alone; however, DHEA (0.2%, w/w) plus 4-HPR (1 mmol/kg diet) significantly reduced cancer multiplicity (26%) when given during initiation. All three treatments were strongly effective when given during promotion/progression, significantly reducing mammary cancer multiplicity by 77% (DHEA), 84% (DHEA/4-HPR), and 66% (DHEA analogue 8354), relative to carcinogen controls. Cancer incidence was significantly inhibited by DHEA (33% inhibition) and DHEA/4-HPR (24% reduction) during promotion/progression. However, the most effective chemopreventive treatment encompassed both phases of carcinogenesis. Thus, under these conditions, DHEA (0.2% or 0.1%, w/w) reduced cancer incidence (52% and 32% reductions, respectively) and multiplicity (91% and 86% reductions, respectively). Further reduction in mammary cancer incidence was observed in animals that received DHEA (both doses) plus 4-HPR (1 and 0.5 mmol/kg diet, respectively). DHEA analogue 8354 (0.2% or 0.1%, w/w) given for the duration of the study reduced only cancer multiplicity (61% and 56% reductions, respectively). Tumor-related mortality was significantly lower in rats that received long-term treatment with DHEA or DHEA/4-HPR, when compared with carcinogen controls. Except for a slight, but significant, postcarcinogen decrease in the mean body weights of rats treated concomitantly with DHEA (plus or minus 4-HPR) and MNU, additional gross manifestations of steroid-induced toxicity were not observed.

¹ Supported in part by contract N01-CN-45912-14 and Grant CA-34664 (R. G. M.) from the National Cancer Institute.

² Present address: American Medical Association, 515 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60610.

³ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at IIT Research Institute, 10 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60616.

Received 3/ 1/90. Accepted 10/24/90.

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