Activity of mevalonate pathway inhibitors against breast and ovarian cancers in the ATP-based tumour chemosensitivity assay
2009

Combining Zoledronic Acid and Fluvastatin for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Sample size: 31 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Louise A Knight, Christian M Kurbacher, Sharon Glaysher, Augusta Fernando, Ralf Reichelt, Susanne Dexel, Uwe Reinhold, Ian A Cree

Primary Institution: Translational Oncology Research Centre, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK

Hypothesis

Can the combination of fluvastatin and zoledronic acid enhance anti-cancer effects in breast and ovarian cancer cells?

Conclusion

The combination of zoledronic acid and fluvastatin shows synergy against breast and ovarian cancer cells.

Supporting Evidence

  • Both zoledronic acid and fluvastatin showed activity against breast and ovarian cancer in the ATP-based assay.
  • The combination of the two drugs was more effective than either drug alone.
  • Sequential drug experiments indicated that fluvastatin pre-treatment decreased sensitivity to zoledronic acid.

Takeaway

This study found that using two drugs together can work better to fight certain types of cancer than using them alone.

Methodology

The study tested 31 tumor samples using an ATP-based chemosensitivity assay to evaluate the effects of fluvastatin and zoledronic acid.

Limitations

The study was conducted in vitro, and results may not directly translate to clinical outcomes.

Participant Demographics

9 primary breast and 22 pre-treated ovarian carcinomas, median ages 50 and 58 respectively.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2407-9-38

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