Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Doxorubicin (5 mg kg-1) was administered intravenously to C57 mice bearing subcutaneous B16F10 melanomas, distributing into the tumour with an area under the concentration-time curve (0-48 h; AUC) of 8.7 micrograms h g-1. Injection of doxorubicin-N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer conjugate, containing 5 mg of doxorubicin equivalent per kg, mediated an AUC for free doxorubicin (i.e. doxorubicin released from the conjugate) of 15.2 micrograms h g-1 and for total doxorubicin (i.e. free plus conjugated) of 149.1 micrograms h g-1. An increased dose of doxorubicin-HPMA copolymer conjugate (18 mg of doxorubicin equivalent per kg) produced AUC values of 40.1 micrograms h g-1 and 671.7 micrograms h g-1 for free and total doxorubicin respectively. Hence administration of doxorubicin-HPMA copolymer conjugate achieved rises of 1.7- to 4.6-fold in tumour AUC (free doxorubicin) and 17.19 to 77.0-fold in tumour AUC (total doxorubicin). HPMA copolymers bearing fluorescein isothiocyanate accumulated in vascularised stromal regions, particularly in new growth sites at the tumour periphery. Treatment of mice with doxorubicin-HPMA copolymer conjugate achieved treated/control lifespans up to 320% (three doses of 27 mg of doxorubicin equivalent per kg) compared with only 133% using aggressive regimens of free doxorubicin (3 x 5 mg kg-1).

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/bjc.1994.363

Type

Journal article

Journal

Br J Cancer

Publication Date

10/1994

Volume

70

Pages

636 - 641

Keywords

Animals, Capillary Permeability, Doxorubicin, Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate, Injections, Subcutaneous, Macromolecular Substances, Male, Melanoma, Experimental, Methacrylates, Mice, Mice, Inbred Strains, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Neoplasm Transplantation, Prodrugs, Tissue Distribution