Calcium Channel Blockers: Potential Antimetastatic Agents

Abstract

Abstract

The calcium channel blocker nifedipine (Bay A 1040) was examined for its effects on tumor cell-platelet interactions. In vitro, nifedipine inhibited tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation and platelet enhanced tumor cell adhesion to confluent endothelial cell monolayers and in vivo nifedipine inhibited pulmonary tumor colony formation ("experimental metastasis") by intravenously injected tumor cells. This evidence suggests that calcium channel blockers may be a new class of antimetastatic agents.