Histopathological evaluation of tumor necrosis and volume after cyanogenic chemotherapy.

PURPOSE To determine the percentage of tumoral necrosis and volume after cyanogenic chemotherapy. METHODS Histopathological findings of 20 Swiss mice inoculated subcutaneously in the left abdominal wall with 0.05 ml of cell suspension containing 2.5 x 10(5) viable cells of the Ehrlich tumor were evaluated. The tumor response to cyanogenic chemotherapy was determined using a system that comprises two inhibition factors of tumor growth by calculating the percentage of necrosis in the tumor tissue and calculation of tumor volume in treated animals relative to that in control animals. The importance of this system has been validated by the correlation between tumor inhibition in the groups treated with the respective percentages of necrosis. RESULTS While the control group presented an average of 13.48 ± 14.71% necrosis and average tumor volume of 16.18 ± 10.94, the treated group had an average of 42.02 ± 11.58 and 6.8 ± 3.57, respectively. The tumor inhibition was significantly associated with treatment (p=0.0189). The analysis of necrosis percentage showed a significant prognostic importance (p=0.0001). CONCLUSION It is concluded that the effect of cyanogenic chemotherapy showed strong inhibitory action of tumor growth, as well as an increase in its area of necrosis.