Effect of Celecoxib and the Novel Anti-Cancer Agent, Dimethylamino-Parthenolide, in a Developmental Model of Pancreatic Cancer

Objectives: Cancer of the exocrine pancreas is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The efficacy of a novel bioavailable anticancer agent, dimethylamino-parthenolide (DMAPT), and the cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor, celecoxib, was evaluated in carcinogen-induced developmental model of pancreatic cancer. Methods: Syrian golden hamsters were injected with N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine, once weekly for 6 weeks. Upon the first injection, banisters were randomized as follows: placebo, low-/high-dose DMAPT (20 and 40 mg/kg per day), low-/high-dose celecoxib (10 and 50 mg/kg per day), or combination DMAPT/celecoxib (low/low, high/high). Results: The 32-week trial showed that 40 mg/kg DMAPT alone significantly decreased the size of gross pancreatic cancers relative to placebo. No significant difference in gross tumor number was observed between the treatment groups and placebo with the exception of 50 mg/kg celecoxib with a higher tumor incidence; this group also exhibited lower lymphotactin levels suggestive of decreased immune surveillance. Tumor invasion into adjacent organs and metastasis were not observed in the DMAPT/celecoxib treatment groups. Drug targets including prostaglandin E-2, prostaglandin E-2 metabolite and activated nuclear factor kappa B were significantly decreased. Conclusions: Dimethylamino-parthenolide and celecoxib have the potential to be novel chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer; however, further optimization or the use of other modalities may be required for chemoprevention,