Effect of alpha-difluoromethylornithine in lung metastases before and after surgery of primary adenocarcinoma tumors in mice

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Abstract
The depletion of polyamines by .alpha.-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) treatment of mice after s.c. inoculation of adenocarcinoma M3 cells caused a remarkable inhibition in the growth rate of primary tumors as well as in the occurrence and number of lung metastases with a concomitant increase in survival time. Tumor-bearing mice submitted to the surgical removal of primary tumors and then treated with .alpha.-difluoromethylornithine also showed a significant reduction of lung metastases. A lower number of lung metastatic nodules correlated with decreased levels of polyamines in the same tissue. The described approach provides a useful experimental model for studies in human cancer therapy.