Transplantation of human renal cell carcinoma into NMRI nu/nu mice. III. Effect of irradiation on tumor acceptance and tumor growth

Irradiation of human renal cell carcinoma before radical tumor nephrectomy resulted in a significantly lower acceptance rate (1 of 7) in nude mice than for nonirradiated tumors (all of 13). The tumor tissue was transplanted into NMRI nu/nu mice immediately after nephrectomy. In this experimental system we demonstrated the reduced vitality of human tumor cells after irradiation. In a second series of experiments, 3 morphologically different human renal cell carcinomas were irradiated at various doses after establishment in nude mice. The irradiated tumor tissue was transplanted to the next passage. The morphology, proliferation rate and growth of these tumors were compared with those of nonirradiated controls. Radiation effect was dose dependent in the responding tumor types. The characteristics correlated with radiosensitivity were high proliferation rate (measured by flow cytometry), low cytologic grading and fast growth rate in the nude mice.