Cure of hepatoma in rat with the nitrosourea carmustine (BCNU)

Two experiments were performed with a chemically induced hepatoma in the rat. In the first, tumors were inoculated subcutaneously into both flanks. After 10 days, when all rats had tumors, treatment was given intravenously on two successive days with 10 mg carmustine/kg body weight/day. All control rats displayed growing tumors and had to be killed 12 days after treatment. Treated rats initially lost weight with a slight increase in tumor size. After 3 weeks all tumors disappeared and the rats grew normally. After 4 months the rats were killed and had no tumors. In a second experiment, tumors were inoculated under the liver capsule. Treatment was given via the hepatic artery. Control rats had large tumors after 2 weeks and had to be killed. All treated rats were without tumors at sacrifice. One of them developed a liver cyst and was killed after 3 months, the others after 4 months.