title: Hyperthermia or BCNU alone and combined in BD IX rats with BT4An tumours. Effects of a single or two equal fractions at different intervals.
abstract: BD IX rats with BT4An tumours subcutaneously on the hind leg were stratified after tumour size and treated by single dose 44 degrees C water bath hyperthermia for 90 minutes or with two 45 minute sessions at 24, 48 or 168 hour intervals. Other groups were treated by single dose BCNU at 20 mg/kg or by two divided doses at the same intervals, or by combined hyperthermia and drug as single treatment or as divided treatments at the same intervals. Intratumoural temperatures in some animals were carefully scanned for minimal temperature during two hyperthermia sessions 24 hours apart. Tumour response, normal skin damage and weight was evaluated. It was concluded that single dose hyperthermia and combined treatment yielded the best effect, but also resulted in the most severe skin reaction and weight loss. Hyperthermia was least effective at a 24 hour interval, indicating thermotolerance to be greatest at this time. The minimum intratumoural temperatures were higher at the second heat dose given at 24 hours, demonstrating a poorer ability to dissipate heat after the first treatment. The tumours were only slightly sensitive to BCNU alone, and no optimal schedule was found. BCNU increased the hyperthermia effect at all schedules, except for the 168 hour interval. The skin reaction to single dose hyperthermia was enhanced by BCNU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002330:Carmustine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002330:Carmustine