university of kwazulu-natal faculty of science and agriculture school ...

Breast cancer can develop in both males and females and is detectable by means of self-
examination of the breast area. The presence of lumps or masses in this area is usually an
indication of cancerous matter, however a mammogram which is performed at most
medical centres, must be done to confirm the presence of such matter. Prognosis and
survival rate varies greatly depending on cancer type and staging. Treatment includes
surgery, drugs (hormonal therapy and chemotherapy) and radiation.
Renal cancer otherwise known as renal cell carcinoma refers to cancer of the kidney.
Since the kidney is responsible for the filtration of blood and removal of waste products
from the body, renal cell carcinoma affects the lining of the small tubes within the kidney
which in turn affects the filtering system. Unfortunately renal cancer is not detected as
easily as breast cancer is. Chronic fatigue, hypertension, fever, presence of blood in the
urine, pain in the side or lower back as well as a mass or lump in the abdomen are a few
of the signs and symptoms associated with this cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy
and surgery are some of the treatment options available to patients diagnosed with this
particular cancer.
4.2.1 Experimental
In the three cell prescreening method, the three cell lines were grown in Roswell Park
Memorial Institute 1640 (RPMI 1640) medium containing 5% fetal bovine serum and
2µM L-glutamine. The cells were then inoculated into 96-well microtiter plates with
densities ranging between 5,000 and 40,000 cells per well. A volume of 100µL of the
medium was introduced into the microtiter plates and subsequently incubated at 37 o C in a
5:95 (carbon dioxide:air) atmosphere with 100% relative humidity for 24 hours.
Compounds I-IV were dissolved in dimethyl suphoxide (DMSO) and then added to the
cells at concentrations ranging between 0.001µg/ml and 100µg/ml. These cells were then
incubated for a further 48 hours at 37 o C in a humidified atmosphere, followed by the
fixing of the cells in situ with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and staining with 100µL
sulforhodamine B (SRB) solution. Unbound dye was removed by washing with 1%
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