CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF HIGH-ENERGY SHOCK-WAVES ON CANCER-CELLS LINKED TO METALLIC BEADS VEHICLED BY MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES

Previous studies have reported that high energy shock waves (HESW), ge nerated by an electrohydraulic lithotriptor, may have some utility as a cancer treatment modality. Furthermore, it has been described that s hock waves propagating in a fluid, show demolitive effects at the leve l of the interface of a solid fragment immersed in the fluid. In this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to enhance the antineoplasti c effects of HESW if treated cells or tissues are linked to monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) conjugated with metallic beads (MB) (about 1 mu of diameter) and specific for a cancer cell surface determinant. A leuke mic cell line was used to study the effects of HESW on cells linked to MB. A fresh human breast cancer specimen was used to perform the assa y on tumor tissue. MB linked treated cell viability, growth curve, clo ning efficiency and Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation were reduced in co mparison to cells treated with HESW alone. Our data suggest that the p resence of solid fragments vehicled by MoAbs on a cancer cell surface is able to synergize with the limited antineoplastic effects of HESW.