| The research presented in this thesis involved a comparison of the cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of traditional and novel chemotherapeutic drugs on three gastrointestinal cancerous cell lines using mammalian cell culture techniques. The cancerous cell lines that were used in this research are BxPc3, Su.86.86, and Sw-620. Gemcitabine HCl, 5-fluorouracil, and the NF-kappaB inhibitor sodium salicylate produced a strong cytotoxic effect. Conversely, rofecoxib produced a cytostatic effect when used in treatment with the three cell lines. Results suggested that rofecoxib showed cytostatic effects against the gastro-intestinal cell lines, BxPc3. Su.86.86, and Sw-620, in vitro.; When used in conjunction with gemcitabine HCl, rofecoxib showed cytotoxic activity, which merits evaluation in further pre-clinical studies. The combined treatment studies involving the use of rofecoxib with gemcitabine HCl suggests an important relationship between the uptake of the drugs into the three layers of the multi-cellular tumor spheroid and cell death. |
