ANTITUMOR-ACTIVITY OF 5-FLUOROURACIL, VERAPAMIL AND HYPERTHERMIA AGAINST HUMAN GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA CELL (AGS) IN-VITRO

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of verapamil (20 muM) and hyperthermia (42-degrees-C) as modifiers of 5-fluorouracil (5 -FU), used at different concentrations, in inhibiting the growth of ga stric adenocarcinoma cells. Combined verapamil and hyperthermia treatm ent showed a significant decrease in cell count when compared to contr ol (72.2%), hyperthermia alone (68.4%), or verapamil alone (65%). At a high concentration of 5-FU (50 mug/ml), verapamil and hyperthermia ha d an additive growth inhibitory effect over a 4-day period when compar ed to control. A combination of 5-FU at low concentration (0.5 mug/ml) with verapamil significantly suppressed growth by 31.2% in comparison to control - with this effect being independent of the duration of tr eatment. The modalities analysed in this study require further investi gation and have potential for clinical applicability to gastric cancer therapy in the future.