The BVDU cotreated groups showed significantly less tumor growth. The tumor areas of these groups were significantly smaller than that of controls or the groups which were treated with cytostatic drugs only (Fig. 4A, panel 2), with the differences being significant at the 5% level (t-test/Mann-Whitney test). Whereas the treatment with cytostatic drugs (DOX, cisplatin, and navelbine+ifosfamide+cisplatin) led to a defined loss of body weight, cotreatment with BVDU partly inhibited loss of body weight (Table 2). This may indicate reduced nonspecific toxicity and optimized antitumor efficiency of the BVDU cotreatment. If cytostatic treatment led to a gain of body weight, BVDU cotreatment did not additionally support this effect.

Table 2 BVDU reduced unspecific toxic effects in cytostatic drug-treated rats (mean of the data of six to seven rats)