INTERFERON TREATMENT OF NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR XENOGRAFTS AS MONITORED BY MRI

The neuroendocrine-differentiated colonic carcinoma cell line (LCC-18) was transplanted to 29 nude mice (Balb/c). The purpose of the present study was to establish an animal model that would allow monitoring wi th magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of changes induced by interferon ( IFN) therapy and to evaluate whether the therapeutic response, as expr essed by changes in MR signal characteristics and tumour proliferative activity, could be modulated by different IFN dosages. IFN did not se em to have any obvious antiproliferative effect on the LCC-18 tumour c ell line transplanted to nude mice and no convincing treatment-related changes in rho values or T1 and T2 relaxation values were observed. T he animal model was probably unsuitable for demonstration of IFN effec ts.