Effect of cesium and ethanol on tumor bearing rats

The effect of separate and combined administration of 15% ethanol and 0.2% CsCl solution on life span of rats with Novikoff hepatoma implants was studied as a function of time of initiation of treatment. Pretreatment with CsCl alone or combined with ethanol resulted in earlier onset on morbidity compared to the ethanol-treatment or to controls. As high as 87.5% of Cs-treated animals died 16 days post tumor implantation compared to 33% of rats receiving CsCl and ethanol combined. This protective action of ethanol against Cs-evoked toxicity in tumor-bearing rats persisted through the experiment. Animals subjected to drug treatment immediately after tumor transplantation displayed delayed onset of morbidity compared to drug pretreated rats. In both cases the Cs-treatment enhanced morbidity by approximately 2 folds from corresponding controls. Animals sacrificed 18 days post tumor inoculation showed an induction of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase and an increase in Vmax without changes in the apparent Km by the Cs-treatment. There was an increase in liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase of hepatoma-bearing rats from tumor-free controls which was associated with an increase in the apparent Km value. The results indicate potentiation of the hepatoma toxicity by CsCl which may be minimized by ethanol. A role for hepatic enzymes determined in the pathogenesis of tumor line studied and/or their use as a biochemical correlate is suggested.