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Abstract
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, necessitating the development of effective therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the antitumour efficacy of sunitinib in an N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU)-induced rat model of mammary carcinogenesis.
Eighteen female Sprague–Dawley rats were administered NMU (70 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) to induce mammary tumours. Tumour development was monitored through palpation and caliper measurements. Upon reaching a mean tumour size of 14 ± 0.5 mm, animals received intralesional sunitinib treatment, while control animals received normal saline. Tumour size, incidence, body weight, and histopathological changes were evaluated.
NMU successfully induced mammary tumours in 94.44% of rats, with a mean tumour multiplicity of 1.67 ± 0.91 tumours per animal. Sunitinib treatment resulted in a reduction in tumour diameter from 15.13 ± 1.33 mm to 12.98 ± 2.48 mm, whereas tumour growth increased in the control group. No significant differences in body weight were observed between groups (P > 0.05), indicating minimal systemic toxicity. Histological analysis revealed predominantly cribriform carcinomas, with no major alterations in tumour architecture following treatment.
In conclusion, sunitinib effectively suppresses tumour progression in NMU-induced mammary tumours without inducing significant toxicity, highlighting its potential as a targeted anti-angiogenic therapy for breast cancer. Further studies are warranted to explore its molecular mechanisms and long-term therapeutic efficacy.
References
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