Abstract
Exposure to stress has been associated with alterations in both immune function and tumor development in man and laboratory animals. In the present study, we investigated the effect of a particular type of inescapable footshock stress, known to cause an opioid mediated form of analgesia, on survival time of female Fischer 344 rats injected with a mammary ascites tumor. Rats subjected to inescapable footshock manifested an enhanced tumor growth indicated by a decreased survival time and decreased percent survival. This tumor enhancing effect of stress was prevented by the opiate antagonist, naltrexone, suggesting a role for endogenous opioid peptides in this process. In the absence of stress, naltrexone did not affect tumor growth.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 635-638 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Peptides |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1983 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Cancer
- Chronic naltrexone
- Mammary adenocarcinoma
- Naltrexone
- Opioid peptides
- Stress