Sequence-dependent synergistic cytotoxicity of ecteinascidin-743 and paclitaxel in human breast cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo.

Ecteinascidin 743 (ET-743) is a potent antitumor agent from the Caribbean tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata and is presently in clinical trials for human cancers. The aim of this study was to assess the nature of the interaction between ET-743 and other antineoplastic agents using the combination index method of Chou and Talalay to better understand how ET-743 might be used clinically. We examined the cytotoxic effect of ET-743 combined with six other antineoplastic agents on human breast cancer cell lines, MX-1, MCF7, and P-glycoprotein overexpressing MCF7/DXR to different schedules.