MAST-CELL TUMOR DESTRUCTION IN DOGS BY HYPOTONIC SOLUTION

Distilled water was studied as an hypoosmotic oncolysis agent to preve nt mast cell tumour (MCT) recurrence following surgical excision. The results from 118 MCTs excised in 74 dogs were: surgery alone, a recurr ence rate of 52.6 per cent (10/19); and surgery followed by distilled water injections into the wound, a 26.2 per cent (26/99) recurrence ra te. All of 10 small MCTs (0.03 to 0.25 cm(3)) injected with distilled water in situ with no surgery, regressed. The present data suggest tha t distilled water should be considered as an adjunct to surgery for ca nine MCTs.