Growth characteristics and therapeutic response of transplantable colon tumors in animals

The growth characteristics and the effect of clinically available chemotherapeutic agents on two transplantable colon tumor lines were studied. These are subcutaneously transplanted undifferentiated carcinoma AKATOL, originating from tumors "spontaneously" appearing after foetal colon implantation, and moderately differntiated carcinoma No. 173 obtained likewise with additional treatment by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Some basic kinetic parameters of tumor growth are determined. The tumors show a relatively slow growth, the median survival time of animals being approximately 50 and 38 days, respectively. The investigation of the sensitivity of tumor lines shows that they are sensitive to many standard antitumor drugs. In the case of AKATOL a high responsiveness to antibiotics and to a smaller degree to other groups agents was observed excluding sarcolysine, CCNU, alexan (cytosine arabinoside) and vinblastine. In the case of colon tumor No. 173 strong antitumor effect for CCNU, 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and vinblastine was observed. The possibilities to use these tumor systems for screening and evaluation of antitumor agents are discussed.