[A trial of sustained-release anticancer chemotherapy with silicone]

Mitomycin C (MMC) was incorporated into liquid silicone which was then vulcanized into solid form. Pellets of MMC were implanted at 5 different sites within the mediastinum of 9 dogs. Implants were removed at regular intervals after sacrificing the test animals. Though the mean doses of MMC released leveled off during 4 weeks, it began to increased rapidly after the 5 week with the result of, this one month delay compared with in vitro. Necrosis appeared to prevent MMC from liberating itself from the implants. Further, the cumulative doses of MMC released were found to be superior in the subaortic and subcarinal sites than in the other three places. No serious complications were encountered in this study.