Synergistic effect of perfluorochemicals on BCNU chemotherapy. Experimental study in a 9L rat brain-tumor model

In a study of the effect of adding perfluorochemicals to BCNU chemotherapy, 7 X 10(5) 9L tumor cells were implanted in the right cerebral hemisphere of Fischer 344 rats weighting about 100 gm each. On the 7th day after implantation, rats were given BCNU or Fluosol-43 (perfluorochemical artificial blood substitute), or a combination of the two, and the therapeutic effects of these treatments were studied. Mean survival time of control animals was 15.23 days +/- 2.84 days (standard deviation); in the group treated with Fluosol-43 and kept in an oxygen chamber (95% O2, 5% CO2), survival time was 15.30 +/- 2.11 days. The BCNU treatment alone and BCNU in rats kept in an oxygen chamber prolonged the mean survival time to 20.90 +/- 3.80 days and 21.10 +/- 2.14 days, respectively. Survival times in rats receiving BCNU plus Fluosol and breathing normal air, BCNU plus dextran-40 and breathing normal air, and BCNU plus dextran-40 in an oxygen chamber were 21.20 +/- 2.63 days, 22.90 +/- 1.52 days, and 22.20 +/- 1.79 days, respectively. On the other hand, treatment with BCNU plus Fluosol-43 in rats kept in an oxygen chamber resulted in a significant increase of mean survival time of 32.27 +/- 4.80 days (p less than 0.005). From these results, it seems likely that Fluosol-43 with oxygen might have a synergistic effect for BCNU chemotherapy in malignant brain tumors.