Je. Hester et We. Fee, EFFECT OF ARGININE ON GROWTH OF SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA IN THE C3H KMMOUSE/, Archives of otolaryngology, head & neck surgery, 121(2), 1995, pp. 193-196
Objective: To determine whether arginine supplementation affects tumor
growth or metastases in well-fed and starved mice using a squamous ce
ll carcinoma VII tumor model. Design: Prospective study in a murine mo
del. Interventions: Simulation of the cachectic state often seen in pa
tients with head and neck cancer, induction of squamous cell carcinoma
, and administration of standard and arginine-supplemented diet. Main
Outcome Measures: Effect of arginine supple-mentation on tumor growth,
metastases, and host weight gain. Results: Tumor weight was significa
ntly decreased in those animals receiving 5% arginine supplementation.
The rate of metastases was lower in animals receiving arginine, but t
his difference did not reach statistical significance. All groups rece
iving supplemental arginine experienced weight loss, which contradicts
the findings that arginine as an anabolic agent may not be present in
cancer bearing hosts.