Primary radiation-induced or radiation leukemia virus (RadLV)-induced T-
leukemias/
lymphomas were treated in vivo in an early to advanced state by using
1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (
BCNU).
BCNU was given at various times after the
tumor induction procedure. Death from RadLV
lymphomas which had been initiated in 33 +/- 3 day old C57BL mice by intrathymic injection of RadLV was scored in untreated,
BCNU-treated or
BCNU and cellular adjuvant treated mice. Intrathymic RadLV injection in 33 +/- 3 day old mice produced
tumors in 98% of injected mice. Median survival time (MST) was increased by
BCNU and by
BCNU plus bone marrow cell
therapy whether done 33 or 47 days after RadLV. There was increased in MST from 108 days to 171 days by
BCNU and bone marrow cell
therapy given 33 days after
tumor initiation and to 195 days when
therapy was given 47 days after initiation. In radiation-induced
lymphomas produced by 190 rad every week X 4 of 33 +/- 3 day old mice, spleen cell (X 1)
therapy or
BCNU treatment increased the MST of treated mice from 142 days to 177 days after iv spleen cells or to 195 days after iv-ip spleen cells, and this protocol produced 31% long-term cures. Cellular adjuvant
therapy combined with
BCNU chemotherapy was effective for curing the
lymphomas but cellular adjuvant
therapy alone was also highly effective for
therapy.