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Factors Pertaining to Complete Drug-induced Remission of Tumor in Animals and Man

Cancer Chemotherapy National Service Center, Chemotherapy, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20014

Complete remission of tumor involves the elimination or the control of growth of the tumor cell population and is subject to a balance of factors pertaining to the drug, tumor, and host. Among the most notable variables which may influence the attainment of complete remission are the extent of action of the drug on the tumor cells, the drug toxicity for the host, the degree of challenge represented by the number of tumor cells, the origin and extent of tumor cell resistance, the degree of sequestration of the tumor cells, and the pharmacologic and immunologic status of the host.

In therapy, one or more of the factors pertaining to the host-tumor-drug relationship may become limiting, thereby preventing the chemotherapeutic agent from exerting sufficient effect at a tolerated dosage to achieve complete tumor remission. However, these limiting factors can be manipulated in favor of a net increase in chemotherapeutic specificity of action of the treatment against the tumor cells, and examples are cited of specific approaches worthy of further investigation and of potential chemotherapeutic value for the clinic.