Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, with most patients dying within the first 5 years after diagnosis. Frequently it arises from cells in the pancreatic ducts (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) and often fails to be diagnosed until it has already metastasized to other organs and tissues in the body, and thus is significantly harder to treat. For these reasons, alternative therapy options should be investigated. Previously, we observed in our hands that ciprofloxacin selectively kills pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells but not non-malignant human cells. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer which inhibits DNA replication in the S-phase of the mitotic cell cycle. Another front-line chemotherapeutic is the nucleotide analog gemcitabine (dFdC) which functions in a similar manner to 5-FU. Given that all three of these drugs appear to have both anti-cancer activity and act in the same cell cycle phase, we hypothesized ciprofloxacin would augment the cytostatic and/or cytotoxic effect of either 5-FU or dFdC. To test this hypothesis, MIA PaCa-2 human ductal adenocarcinoma cells were cultured and treated singly with 5-FU, or dFdC, or Cipro, or in simultaneous combination (either 5-FU or dFdC with Cipro) for 24 hour periods of time. As a result, we found that Cipro could significantly (p ? 0.05) and in dose-dependent fashion enhance the activity of both 5-FU and dFdC. We conclude that Cipro is a valid candidate as an adjuvant to standard forms of chemotherapy which involve use of 5-FU and/or dFdC. Furthermore, we propose that additional studies be conducted to further assess the validity of such combinations for human patients in the future.

Creator

• Beverley, Katie M.

Contributors

• Wiseman, Dean A.

Publisher

• University of Indianapolis

Language

• en

Identifier

• Beverley, K. Final.pdf

Keyword

• Baccalaureate 'with distinction'

• Strain Honors College

Date created

• 2016-03-13

Rights statement

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/