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Abstract: There is increasing interest in phytoestrogens as potential alternatives to synthetic selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) in the prevention and therapy of breast cancer. The present study is aimed at determining whether dietary glycine soya (Glycine max seeds; GS), which is rich in phytoestrogens, can enhance the anti breast cancer efficacy of the SERM tamoxifen (TAM) and the effect of TAM and GS, either alone or in combination, on DMBA-initiated hepatocarcinogenesis in rat. For determination of enhancing effect, rats bearing palpable 7, 12-dimethylbenz[α] anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors were treated with TAM (10mgkg−1/day) while being fed AIN-93G diet with or without added GS (3×104 mgkg−1), and the tumor growth was monitored up to 5weeks of treatment. For determining the effect on hepatocarcinogenesis, DMBA-initiated rats were exposed to TAM and dietary GS as above for 6weeks during promotion stage in a medium-term bioassay, and the development of placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P)-expressing preneoplastic liver lesions was quantified. Exposure to both TAM and dietary GS enhanced the anti tumor efficacy of TAM via a combination of tumor cell apoptosis (determined by TUNEL) and inhibition of tumor cell proliferation (determined by PCNA immunostaining) and suppressed the growth of GST-P-positive liver lesions. The findings show that dietary GS enhances the therapeutic efficacy of TAM against mammary tumors and minimizes TAM’s hepatocarcinogenesis promotion potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Centchroman is a non-steroidal oral contraceptive and has been found to be a candidate drug for breast cancer exhibiting partial to complete remission of lesions in 40.5% of breast cancer patients. The therapeutic efficacy of centchroman was monitored alone and together with glycine soya on growth of 7,12-dimethylbenz[α]anthracene-induced breast tumor in rat. The tumor regression was monitored at different doses of centchroman alone ranging from 0 to 10mgkg−1 and with glycine soya from 1×104 to 5×104 mgkg−1 per day until 5weeks treatment. An optimum tumor treatment opus was established with varying treatment parameters including doses of therapeutic agents and treatment period. The tumors were found to be static with a strong anti-estrogenic effect. Overall our study shows that both centchroman and glycine soya alone and jointly combat with breast cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]