BCG treatment of malignant pleural effusions in the rat

Abstract

Summary.-Intrapleurally injected cells of an ascitic rat tumour produced intrapleural effusions and solid pleural deposits. BCG, or its methanol extraction residue (MER) injected into the pleural space, suppressed tumour development and prolonged survival. Treatment was effective if given a few days before or after tumour injection. In contrast, active specific immunotherapy by repeated s.c. injection of viable or radiation-attenuated tumour cells in admixture with BCG was unsuccessful, and did not improve the response to intrapleural BCG treatment.

Antitumor monoclonal antibodies for radioimmunodetection of tumors and drug targeting

“…But, for these cells to exert anti-tumor effects, they have to traffic to, and become localized within, tumors. There are several situations where BRM agents can be directly introduced into tumor deposits, such as, for example, intrapleural injection for the treatment of malignant pleural effusions (7). The concept of targeting BRM agents to tumor deposits is also illustrated by the use of liposomes for localizing Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton in alveolar macrophages which, following activation, suppress pulmonary metastases (8).…”

Efficacy of mycobacterial components in the immunotherapy of mice with pulmonary tumor deposits

“…Fifty percent of the animals treated by IP injection of TDM were cured, whereas BCG CW and C76 cured significant numbers of animals only when given by the IV route. There are several reports in the literature that stress the need for close contact between the tumor cells and adjuvant for effective therapy; injection of the microbial adjuvant remote from the site of the tumor had no beneficial effect [1,4,9,11,12]. Our results indicate that BCG CW and C76 appeared to be acting in a similar manner.…”

Manipulation of host resistance in cancer therapy

“…This included intratumoral injection into solid tumours [100] or infusion into peritoneal or pleural spaces to activate host cells against malignant effusions [79]. This included intratumoral injection into solid tumours [100] or infusion into peritoneal or pleural spaces to activate host cells against malignant effusions [79].…”