The tumor-inhibiting effect of diethylstilbestrol-3,4-oxide

Abstract

Diethylstilbestrol-3,4-oxide (DES-3,4-oxide), one of the possible cancerogenic metabolites of the well-known estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES), is a potential estrophilic cytostatic compound. It shows a very good affinity to the estrogen receptor. The uterotrophic activity determined in the mouse uterine weight bioassay is nearly identical with that of DES. Potential alkylating properties could neither be detected in the p-NBP test nor in the prophage induction test. DES-3,4-oxide [0.01–1.0 mg/kg body weight (b. wt.)] markedly inhibited the growth of the DMBA-induced hormone-dependent mammary carcinoma of the SD rat, as well as the growth of a hormone-dependent postmenopausal (but not of a premenopausal) human mammary carcinoma serially transplanted in nude mice. However, DES-3,4-oxide had not significantly better effect on the DMBA-induced mammary carcinoma of the SD rat than DES.