The value of radionuclide bone imaging on monitoring chemotherapeutic effects of multiple myeloma

Objective： To investigate the value of radionuclide whole-body bone imaging on monitoring chemotherapeutic ~ffects for multiple myeloma （MM）. Methods： Sixty patients were included. Twenty nine cases received CTD （thalidomide 100-200 rag/d; cyclophosphamide 200-300 mg/m2od, 1-4 days, every 4 weeks; and dexamethasone 20-40 rag/d, 1-4 days, every 4 weeks）; Thirty cases received VAD （vincristine 0.4 mg/d, 1-4 days, every 4 weeks; adriamycin 10 mg/d, 1-4 days, every 4 weeks; dexamethasone 40 rag/d, 1-4 days, every 4 weeks）. Radionuclide bone imagings were performed in all patients before chemotherapy, six months, twelve months and eighteen months after chemotherapy. The correlation of chemothera- peutic effects between CTD and VAD were analyzed. Results： One hundred and seventy nine bone lesions were visualized by bone scintigraphy before CTD treatment. Eighteen months after CTD chemotherapy, it was observed by bone scintigraphy that 39/179 （21.78%） lesions disappeared, 112/179 （62.57%） improved, and 281179 （15.64%） had no change. One hundred and ninety one bone lesions were showed by bone imaging before VAD treatment, 361191 （18.84%） lesions disappeared, eighteen months after chemotherapy, 103/191 （53.92%） improved, and 52/191 （27.22%） had no change. The significant dif- ference was observed in locations of MM induced bone lesions treated with CTD （H = 8.23, P 〈 0.05） and VAD （H = 11.18, P 〈 0.05）. A significant chemotherapeutic sensitivity in detecting MM induced lesions in ribs was found compared with other bone lesions. The chemotherapeutic effect of CTD was statistically significant than that of VAD （U = 2.17, P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： Radionuclide whole-body bone imaging has great value in monitoring chemotherapeutic effects for MM.

EFFECTS OF TNF ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS ON HUMAN OVARIAN CANCERS IN VITRO AND IN NUDE MICE

Using the tetrazolium (MTT) assay, we examined the cytotoxicities of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rhTNF) and five chemotherapeutic agents, namely CTX, 5-FU, VCR, DDP and KSM, on human ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR3 and CAOV3. The results showed that the cytotoxicities of rhTNF at concentrations of 50-50 000 U / ml on OVCAR3 cell line and CAOV3 cell line exposed to rhTNF for 24 hours were from 14.2% ± 6.8% to 67.2%± 3.0% and from 8.2%± 4.3% to 60.9%±1.3%, respectively. The cytotoxicities of all five chemotherapeutic agents tested on the two cell lines were much lower than that of rhTNF. We also studied the combined antitumor potential of rhTNF with the five chemotherapeutic agents and the results showed that there were various degrees of synergism in cytotoxicities of rhTNF in combination with DDP or KSM on the two cell lines. Based on experiments in vitro, the in vivo antitumor activities of rhTNF, both alone and in combination with KSM, were examined in OVCAR3 cancer transplanted in nude mice. The results showed a considerable antitumor effect of rhTNF when it was used alone and a marked synergistic effect when it was used in combination with KSM on the xenograft tumors.