EFFECTS OF DIETARY PHENETHYL ISOTHIOCYANATE, ELLAGIC ACID, SULINDAC AND CALCIUM ON THE INDUCTION AND PROGRESSION OF N-NITROSOMETHYLBENZYLAMINE-INDUCED ESOPHAGEAL CARCINOGENESIS IN RATS

The potential inhibitory effects of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), ellagic acid (EA), sulindac and supplemental dietary calcium (SDC) on N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced esophageal carcinogenesis we re evaluated in rats utilizing an abbreviated (5 week) NMBA treatment protocol which allowed administration of the putative inhibitors throu ghout the experiment (i.e. beginning 2 weeks prior to NMBA treatment) or following completion of NMBA dosing only, PEITC at 500 p.p.m. signi ficantly inhibited tumor incidence and multiplicity when given before and during, but not following, NMBA treatment, Neither sulindac at 125 p.p.m. nor SDC (2% versus 0.5% in control diet) inhibited tumor devel opment when given during or following NMBA treatment, EA, which was ad ministered only following NMBA treatment, significantly reduced the in cidence (66.7% versus 100% in NMBA controls), but not the multiplicity , of esophageal tumors at the high-dose (4000 p.p.m.) level, Together these findings indicate that: (i) PEITC selectively inhibits the induc tion but not the subsequent progression of NMBA-induced esophageal tum ors; (ii) EA may repress esophageal tumor development when administere d following NMBA treatment; (iii) at the doses administered, neither s ulindac nor SDC possess significant inhibitory activity against NMBA-i nduced esophageal carcinogenesis in the rat.