Hydroxyurea treatment enhances metastatic cell adhesiveness: a possible chemotherapy-induced increase in metastatic potential?

Treatment of tumor cells with certain chemotherapeutic agents, including hy droxyurea, increases their metastatic potential. In the present study the a dhesiveness of SW620 colonic metastasis cells treated with hydroxyurea was compared with untreated cells by measuring their ability to remain attached to tissue flask walls during gentle saline washes. Treatment of SW620 cell s was found to significantly increase their adhesiveness, suggesting a mech anism by which hydroxyurea may enhance the metastatic potential of tumor ce lls. [(C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.].