A combinatorial chemotherapy approach for prostate and skin cancer cells and its effect on the macrophage immunomodulation

Abstract

Objective: Skin and prostate cancers are exceedingly common and deadly in the world. Mutations in several checkpoints involved in cell division, survival, and death are the main reasons for the uncontrolled growth. Depending on the type of tumor and rate of metastasis, several combinations of treatments such as radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy may be employed. Combining various chemotherapeutics with diverse modes of action is being investigated as a way to improve efficacy against tumor cells and minimize side effects. Methods: In this work, we examined the effects of several drugs including dacarbazine, irinotecan and cabazitaxel as well as their combinations on apoptosis and proliferation in skin and prostate cancer cells. Results: Dacarbazine was detected to be the most effective drug to induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Notably, the combination of dacarbazine and cabazitaxel demonstrated a synergistic effect, significantly enhancing apoptotic response and reducing proliferation in both skin and prostate cancer cells. Conclusions: According to our results, combination therapy particularly the dacarbazine and cabazitaxel regimen may offer superior efficacy compared to monotherapies, suggesting that tailored drug combinations for different tumor types could improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing adverse effects in clinical settings.