Enzymatic Efficiency in Malignancy. ∗

Abstract

Recently we have begun a detailed investigation of enzymatic efficiency of avitaminosis. 1 Being at the same time engaged in a problem on the relationship of vitamin therapy to regression of tumors in the albino rat, we had access to considerable numbers of tumor-bearing animals and had available the necessary materials and equipment to study the enzymatic efficiency of malignancy.

We found our Wistar stock of animals rather resistant to the Flexner-Jobling carcinoma; consequently, the greater portion of our work was done on animals receiving another type of transplantable tumor, in which we had from 60 to 85% takes, provided the tumor used for implantation was not too necrotic. The tumor used was furnished by Dr. Francis Carter Wood of New York City, which was designated as Walker Carcino-Sarcoma No. 256.

The experiments were conducted in pairs, and for every animal with an implanted tumor, a litter-mate control of the same sex was used, which was restricted to the same plane of nutrition as the tumor-bearing animal. The tumors were measured with a caliper in length and width, and in some cases in depth. Forty-two groups were studied in the case of most enzymes. The blood serum phosphatase was included later in the investigation and was studied in 26 groups. The tumors ranged from 15 to 73 mm. in length and from 10 to 65 mm. in width. The age of the tumors of the implanted animals, the blood and tissue enzymes of which were studied, ranged from 3 to 5 weeks in most cases, but some individuals were allowed to proceed to the stage of pronounced ulceration and these tumors were about 7 weeks old at the time the animals were sacrificed. The tumors were embedded in formalin and examined microscopically by Drs. Thatcher and De Groat in Little Rock.