The effect of in situ isolated perfusion of experimental renal tumors with cytotoxic agents in high concentration.

In animal experiments the possibility of increasing the dosage of anticancer drugs by isolated in situ tumor perfusion without incurring systemic toxicity was studied. Isolated perfusion of normal kidneys with tris-ethylenimino-benzochinon (triaziquon, Trenimon) and amethopterin (Methotrexate) demonstrated that the kidney tolerates far higher antitumor drug concentrations than are achieved by systemic anticancer chemotherapy. Renal function, which was evaluated before and after cytotoxic perfusion by means of renal functional scintigraphy, decreased by less than 15%. Each kidney was examined histologically after perfusion. Isolated cytotoxic perfusion of renal tumors (Walker carcinosarcoma 256) using the combination of Trenimon (0.034 microgram/ml) and Methotrexate (0.034 mg/ml) led to complete tumor regression. Tumor perfusion without cytotoxic agents and systemic intravenous administration of the LD50 of the anticancer drugs did not achieve tumor control.