Attempts to increase intratumoral blood flow in the rat solid Walker 256 tumor by the use of the perfluorocarbon emulsion fluosol-DA.

Overview

We have examined the effect of the perfluorocarbon emulsion, Fluosol-DA 20% (FDA), on blood flow in rats bearing an advanced solid Walker 256 tumor implanted s.c. Blood-FDA exchange in unanesthetized rats maintained under 100% oxygen was accomplished by simultaneous arterial withdrawal and i.v. infusion until the hematocrit was less than 4%. Control rats were maintained under 100% oxygen but did not undergo any exchange. Regional blood flow studies in tumors of control and FDA-exchanged rats were performed using [14C]iodoantipyrine and quantitative autoradiography. FDA-blood exchange did not increase flow to the whole tumor. Similarly, the pattern of regional flow within the tumor, which was determined in histologically distinct areas--including dense and normocellular, necrotic and peripheral zones invading into muscle and connective tissue--was not substantially altered. Flow to cerebral tissue was increased two-fold, although flow to normal tissues including temporalis muscle, skin and diaphragm was not altered. These results show that FDA-blood exchange does not enhance vascular flow in solid Walker 256 tumor implanted s.c. in the rat.