Local anaesthetics as hypoxic radiosensitizers, oxic radioprotectors and potentiators of hyperthermic killing in mammalian cells

Abstract

Local anaesthetics with well-known pharmacology radiosensitize hypoxic and radioprotect oxic murine L5178Y [lymphoma] cells. Under specified experimental conditions, radiation-modifying effects exerted by local anaesthetics are dose-dependent. For the drugs to act as oxic radioprotectors or as hypoxic radiosensitizers, the agent must be present during the period of irradiation. Local anaesthetics also potentiate the hyperthermic killing of cells. The possibility of applying compounds with such dual radiation-modifying properties plus hyperthermia-potentiating capacity to enhance the therapeutic gains in tumor therapy is briefly discussed.