Parenteral gamma-linolenic acid administration in nude mice bearing a range of human tumour xenografts.

The nude mouse human tumour xenograft system was used as an in vivo model to investigate the possible effect of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) both on established tumour xenografts and as a prophylactic agent prior to tumour induction. Eighty-nine nude mice bearing a range of different human tumours were studied and two solvents (each of which presented certain practical problems) were used to deliver GLA parenterally to the animals. GLA treatment was found to have no significant effect on the growth of any of the tumour xenografts investigated.