Tumour necrosis factor enhances the therapeutic effect of mitoxantrone in human ovarian cancer xenograft

The combination of Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) and mitoxantrone was evaluated for potential chemotherapeutic effect against a human ovarian cancer cell line A2774 heterotransplanted in female nude mice. Both antitumour efficacy (relative survival and reduction of ascites) and toxicity (weight loss and liver toxicity) of TNF alone, mitoxantrone alone or TNF+ mitoxantrone were evaluated. A significative difference ( P< 0.002) was observed only among animals bearing tumours treated with mitoxantrone (0.012 mg/Kg) + TNF (5 × 10 5U/Kg) and controls. No cytotoxic effects were observed for this combination. These observations provide a rationale for further evaluation of TNF + mitoxantrone based regimes for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.