Effect of Water Fluoridation on VM-M3 Tumor Metastasis

Water fluoridation has been used for combatting dental caries in the general population. Although fluoride has been evaluated as a possible carcinogen, no studies have evaluated the influence of water fluoridation on tumor metastasis. Ex vivo bioluminescent imaging and tumor volume measurements were used to assess the influence of water fluoridation on the metastatic spread of VM-M3/Fluc tumor cells grown in their syngeneic inbred VM/Dk mice that received either sodium fluoride (NaF) or hydrofluorosilicic acid (HFSA) in the drinking water (at either 5.0 mg/L or 20.0 mg/L) for 35 days. During the course of the study, there was no difference in water intake or body weight between the control mice and mice that drank either NaF or HFSA. No significant differences were found for VM-M3/Fluc organ metastasis in the mice that drank water with either 5.0 mg/L or 20.0 mg/L NaF or HFSA versus control mice that drank water without fluoride. Both overall survival and flank tumor volumes were similar in control mice and in mice that drank water containing HFSA. In conclusion, the results showed that fluoride present in the drinking water had no statistically significant effect on the metastatic spread of VM-M3/Fluc tumor cells nor on mouse survival.