Effect of a bovine hemoglobin preparation (SBHS) on the response of two murine solid tumors to radiation therapy or chemotherapeutic alkylating agents.

Abstract

When tested in mice bearing the Lewis lung tumor with 2, 3, or 4 Gy daily for 5 days, SBHS produced a dose-modifying factor of 1.6 that was increased to 2.1 with carbogen. The addition of SBHS (1.32 gm protein/kg) to treatment with melphalan (MEL) resulted in a 2.2-fold increase in the tumor growth delay (TGD). The combination of SBHS with carbogen (6 h) produced a 3.6-fold increase in TGD compared with MEL alone. The addition of SBHS to treatment with cyclophosphamide (CTX) resulted in a 2-fold increase in the TGD. However, the combination of SBHS and carbogen was much more effective resulting in a 4.6-fold increase in TGD. There was a 1.3-fold increase in TGD with SBHS and CDDP compared with CDDP alone. The combination of SBHS and carbogen was a more effective addition to CDDP resulting in a 1.9-fold increase in TGD. The addition of SBHS to treatment with BCNU increased the TGD produced by BCNU by 1.5-fold. The combination of SBHS/BCNU and carbogen resulted in a 2.3-fold increase in TGD over that obtained with BCNU alone.