THE INFLUENCE OF 11-DEHYDR0-17-HYDR0XYCORTICOSTERONE (COMPOUND E) ON THE GROWTH OF A MALIGNANT TUMOR IN THE MOUSE1

Abstract

IT HAS BEEN shown that ll-dehydro-17-hydroxycorticosterone (compound E) will bring about loss of weight of young rats and atrophy of the thymus, adrenal glands and lymph nodes of adult rats (Ingle, Higgins and Kendall, 1938; Ingle and Mason, 1938; and Wells and Kendall 1940). The atrophy of the lymph nodes was suggestive that a regressive effect on certain types of tumor might be brought about by compound E. Recently one of us observed a rapidly growing tumor of spontaneous origin in the thoracic cavity of a mouse. A suspension of the tumor cells was injected into normal mice of the same inbred strain and it was found that the tumor could be implanted in practically 100 per cent of mice which received the injection. Within ten to fourteen days after the tumor cells were implanted subcutaneously the tumor was visible and, from that time, growth was very rapid.