L1210 leukemia i.v. implanted as a model for testing short-chain nitrosourea analogs.

A total of 11 newly synthesized 2-chloroethyl-nitrosoureas and 1 2-fluoroethyl-nitrosourea with short-chain substituents were tested for their cytostatic activity on the L1210 mouse leukemia in comparison to clinically used nitrosoureas. Initial experiments showed advantages of the i.v. route for tumor inoculation. Therefore, the anatomical generalisation of tumor cells after i.v. injection was studied by bio-assay. Tumor cell determinations in different organs were 10 to 100 times higher compared with i.p. implantation. Of the new compounds 10 showed marked cytostatic activity in this tumor model by producing cures, and 5 of them must be considered as superior to BCNU, the most commonly used nitrosourea.