Antitumor activity of glucagon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS Ascites tumors were implanted intraperitoneally (I.P.) with 0.1 ml. of a 1:5 dilution of packed cells except for the L1210 leukemia, for which 0.5 ml. of a 10 -4 dilution of ascitic fluid was used. The P1534 leukemia was implanted with 0.5 ml. of a 10 -4 spleen suspension. Implants of all other tumors, approximately 1 cu. mm., were implanted subcutaneously by trocar. Insulin, 1 glucagon in corn oil, and in one instance adrenalin were administered subcutaneously. Treatment was generally for 10 days, with insulin administered once a day and glucagon 3 times. The controls in all cases received equivolumes of 1 per cent horse serum in 0.85 per cent sodium chloride solution. This dilute protein solution was used, since protein could have been supplied in the insulin and glucagon preparations. Life span was an end-point in the leukemias, and mean tumor diameter was used for the solid tumors.