Solid tumor models for the assessment of different treatment modalities. XXII. The alternate utilization of radiotherapy and chemotherapy

Abstract

Major increases in the time between administration of two modalities, radiation and cyclophosphamide (CP), from 1 to 7 days and in the overall time of delivery of 3 courses of combined therapy from 24 to 35 days were carried out in rats with hepatoma 3924A without major loss of therapeutic effectiveness. Cure rates of 50% or greater could be maintained even though treatment was given over much longer time periods. The radiation was given as hyperfractionated, split‐course schedules which were devised by increasing the number of 250 rad fractions over a 2‐day period. In one series of experiments these 2‐day schedules were given at 11‐day intervals for 3 courses on days 0 and 1, 11 and 12, 22 and 23; and CP (150 mg/kg) was given 1 day after each of the 3 radiation courses on days 2, 13, and 24. In the second series of experiments radiation was given on days 0 and 1, 14 and 15, 28 and 29; and this was alternated with 3 single doses of CP given 1 week after each of the 3 courses of radiation, on days 7, 21 and 35. Increasing the total radiation dose from 6000 to 7500 rad in the series given CP 1 day after each of three courses of radiation results in an increase in total tumor cure rates from 50% to 60%. The tumor cure rate in the series given CP 7 days after radiation increased from 10% to 70% when the total radiation dose was increased from 6000 to 7500 rad. Increasing the total radiation dose from 6000 to 7500 rad increased the magnitude of the acute skin reaction as well as the duration of recovery. However, the skin reactions for both the 6000 and 7500 rad were acceptable. Host toxicity and normal tissue reaction were within acceptable limits for both modalities. The results of these studies, therefore, indicate that excessive toxicity, one of the major deterrents to the effective combined utilization of these two primary means of cancer management, may be avoided by temporal separation of delivery while maintaining tumor cure rates of 50% or greater.