Background: Cisplatin is widely used for cancer treatment. Cisplatin induces cytotoxicity for cancer cells and normal cells.
Yeast as an alternative cancer therapy may have less side effects.
Aim of the Study: To estimate the synergistic efficacy of Yeast and Cisplatin against carcinoma mass induced on the skeletal muscle of adult male albino mice through detection of the histological changes in the skeletal muscle.
Material and Methods: Fifty male albino mice, were divided into five equal groups. GI; Control group. The rest of animals
were inoculated intramuscularly with 0.2 ml Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells in the right thigh at day 1. A solid mass appeared
on the 10th day. These animals were divided into four groups: G II; The untreated group. G III; Treated with Cisplatin (3 mg/kg /week) intra peritoneally. G IV; Were injected IM with 1ml of Heat-killed non-pathogenic yeast suspension1 x 107 cells/ml, 3times /week .G V; Injected by Yeast and Cisplatin in the same previous doses. All therapies were given from the11thday until day 35th. Histological studies were done using H&E stain, Masson's trichrome stain and BCL2immunohistochemical reaction. Morphometric and statistical studies were performed.
Results: Muscle fibers in GII appeared thinner, deformed, widely separated and infiltrated by leucocytes. Compact sheets of tumor cells showed pleomorphism and numbers of abnormal mitotic figures. Muscle fibers of GIII were fragmented, widely separated and developed signs of necrosis but tumor cells were less numerous. Considerable inflammatory reaction was also noticed. GIV and GV showed improvement in the histological pictures of muscle fibers. The tumor cells were relatively less than those of GII. The muscle fibers partially regained their normal appearance.
Conclusion: Heat-killed non-pathogenic yeast enhanced the cytotoxic activity of Cisplatin and potentiate the benefit of using a combination of low-dose Cisplatin and heat-killed non-pathogenic yeast in treatment of cancer.