CLASSIFYING CYTOSTATICS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR ANGIOCIDAL AND ANGIOSTATIC EFFECTS

This study describes the effects of ten clinically used cytostatics [b leomycin (BLM), cytarabine (Ara-C), cyclophosphamide (CTX), doxorubici n (DOX), etoposide (VP-16), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), methotrexate (MTX), mitoxantrone (MXN), vincristine (VCR), and vinblastine (VLB)] on the chorioallantoic membrane vessels - especially on vessel counts - and o n the weight of the chicken embryo. A significant reduction of vessel counts (VC) due both to angiocidal and an angiostatic action, was indu ced by DOX, MXN, VP-16, VCR, and VLB. 5-FU and BLM induced only a (wea k) angiostatic effect. MTX, Ara-C, and CTX were neither angiocidal nor angiostatic. The classification of cytostatics presented here might h ave implications for their use in the clinical treatment of malignant tumors.