COMPARISON OF NEPHRECTOMY AND OR DOXORUBICIN TREATMENT IN RABBIT RENAL VX-2 CARCINOMA

To compare survival after local intra-arterial and intravenous adminis tration of doxorubicin, VX-2 carcinoma was implanted in one kidney of 48 rabbits. Treatments were given 9-14 days after tumor implantation. Survival after doxorubicin was significantly longer than the controls, whereas no difference was established between intra-arterial or intra venous treatment. Overall only 9 of 32 doxorubicin-treated rabbits wer e cured at autopsy after 18 months. It was assumed that circulating tu mor cells from tumor implantation resulted in ''primary'' lung metasta ses. To kill circulating tumor cells intravenous doxorubicin was given immediately before implantation in 40 rabbits, followed by combinatio ns of nephrectomy and doxorubicin. Doxorubicin without nephrectomy cur ed 8 of 16 rabbits, whereas doxorubicin combined with nephrectomy cure d 4 of 16. Doxorubicin improved survival in responders, but likelihood of response was limited. Nephrectomy did not improve survival, most l ikely due to metastatic seeding at implantation. Intravenous doxorubic in immediately before did not prevent metastatic spread in connection with tumor implantation. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.