[Endocrine disorders caused by a tumor in the body]

In tumor-bearing rats the hematocrit volume was decreased. It is recommended therefore to estimate the content of glucose in blood serum but not in the whole blood. In rats with Zajhdela ascites hepatoma and with solid hepatoma 27 contents of insulin and glucagon in blood and of glycogen in liver were altered. The nature and magnitude of these alterations varied depending on the type of the transplated tumor. The hormonal disbalance appears to be due to loss of receptor sensitivity towards these hormones. In blood serum of healthy and tumor-bearing rats maximal glucose content was observed within 30 min after sugar loading, after which the content of glucose in blood serum was decreased. In the tumor-bearing rats the increase in content of glucose after sugar loading was higher than in the healthy animals, and the return of content of glucose to normal values was considerably delayed in the tumor-bearing rats. Apparent Vass for glucose was distinctly lower in healthy as compared with tumor-bearing animals. Simultaneous increase in content of glucose and insulin was found in blood serum of healthy rats after sugar loading, whereas the increase in insulin content was retarded in the tumor-bearing animals.