RETARDING NOVIKOFF TUMOR-GROWTH BY ALTERING HOST RAT CHOLESTEROL-METABOLISM

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 87  (4) , 409-416
Abstract
To determine if limiting tumor-available cholesterol results in limited tumor growth in vivo, Holtzman rats were given 10 .times. 106 Novikoff ascites tumor cells s.c. Prior to inoculation, animals received distal small bowel exclusion or sham operation plus standard chow or estrone-containing chow (0.0025% or 0.01%) diets. In 3 separate experiments, tumor weight was positively correlated with whole plasma cholesterol levels (r [correlation coefficient] = 0.495; P < 0.05); the lowest tumor weights were correlated with the lowest plasma cholesterol; low density and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were individually and in combination positively correlated with tumor weight (R2 [determination coefficient] = 0.828; P < 0.01); and survival of s.c. tumor inoculated animals was significantly greater in those animals shown to have the lowest plasma cholesterol, 27 .+-. 1 days vs. 29 .+-. 1 days (P < 0.05). Limiting tumor-available cholesterol by altering host cholesterol metabolism apparently will limit tumor growth.