TAMOXIFEN SUPPRESSES BOTH THE GROWTH OF PROLACTIN-SECRETING PITUITARY TUMOURS AND NORMAL PROLACTIN SYNTHESIS IN THE RAT

Abstract

The effect of administering the antioestrogenic drug, tamoxifen, on the growth of the pituitary tumour 7315a in the rat was studied. This tumour is induced by the administration of oestrogen. When administered early after the implantation of the tumour, tamoxifen prevented its growth completely but when treatment was delayed until a later stage of its development, 20 μg tamoxifen/100 g body wt each day for 7–12 days stopped further tumour growth, while 200 μ/100 g body wt each day reduced the size of the tumours. These effects of tamoxifen on tumour growth were accompanied by a decrease in the level of prolactin in the circulation, if the treatment was started at an early stage of tumour development and if the high dose of tamoxifen was administered. Bromocriptine either when given alone or together with tamoxifen was unable to inhibit growth and secretion of prolactin by these rat pituitary tumours. The high plasma concentrations of prolactin in the tumour-bearing rats are known to produce atrophy of the pituitary gland of the host and to decrease the synthesis and release of prolactin. Despite the inhibitory effect of tamoxifen on both tumour size and plasma levels of prolactin, the ability of the pituitary glands of these animals to synthesize prolactin remained suppressed. It was concluded that tamoxifen has a dual effect on this model of a transplantable pituitary tumour that secretes prolactin in the rat; it prevents and/or inhibits tumour growth and it has an inhibitory effect on the synthesis of prolactin by the pituitary gland.