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Role of pinealectomy on Walker 256 carcinoma in rats
Author(s) -
Barone Robert M.,
Gupta Tapas K. Das
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930020402
Subject(s) - pinealectomy , medicine , pineal gland , lymph , endocrine system , melatonin , pathology , physiology , endocrinology , hormone
After years of investigation, today it is generally agreed that mammalian pineal is a functioning organ with endocrine‐like properties. Several investigators in the past have shown that pinealectomy possibly alters the growth and spread of tumors in rodents. An experimental system has been devised in this laboratory to study the effects of pinealectomy on the growth and spread of Walker 256 carcinoma in rats. One hundred and ten inbred Holtzman male rats weighing 40–60 g were used. Thirty‐nine rats were pinealectomized. Thirty‐five rats were subjected to a comparative trauma and bleeding but the pineal was left intact (sham‐operated). Thirty‐six rats served as controls. Five weeks after operation all the rats were inoculated with 500,000 tumor cells. The rats were observed for 23 days after tumor inoculation. Autopsies were performed on the twenty‐fourth day. Results showed the tumor volumes were 149.37 ± 26.46 ml in pinealectomized rats, 104.79 ± 19.97 ml in the sham‐operated group, and 103.59 ± 19.61 ml in the control group. This was statistically significant ( p = 0.01). Metastatic tumor involvement of the mediastinal lymph nodes occurred in 82% of the pinealectomized rats versus 38% of the controls and 46% of sham‐operated animals. Metastatic tumor involvement occurred in 79% of the lungs in pinealectomized rats versus 31% in the sham‐operated and 36% in the control animals.