Prostacyclin and thromboxane in ovarian cancer: effect of cytostatics and prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors.

The production of the antiaggregatory prostacyclin (PG1(2) ) and proaggregatory thromboxane A2 (TxA2) were studied in 19 patients with residual ovarian cancer. The plasma 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (a metabolite of PG1(2) ) in cancer patients (146.7 +/- 14.7 pg/ml, mean +/- SE) was higher (P less than 0.02) than that in the controls (85.3 +/- 9.2 pg/ml, n = 17). Also the releases of TxB2 (a metabolite of TxA2) during spontaneous clotting of the blood samples were greater (P less than 0.05) in the patients (253.4 +/- 30.1 ng/ml) than controls (183.2 +/- 19.8 ng/ml). The combined administration of doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and cis-platinum temporarily decreased the plasma 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels but caused no changes in TxB2 generation. Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors (acetylsalicyclic acid or indomethacin) during cytostatic infusion did not prevent the occurrence of the acute side effects of cytostatics, but they inhibited the TxB2 generation. Thus our data suggest that residual ovarian cancer is accompanied by increased production of PG1(2) and TxA2, and that prostaglandins have no role in the acute side effects of cancer chemotherapy.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes