The immunologic therapy of squamous cell carcinoma. A preliminary report

Effect of immunotherapy with a saline phenol extract of allogeneic tumour on E-rosette counts in horn cancer-affected cattle

The mean percentage of cells forming rosettes with 2-aminoethyl isothiouronium bromide-treated sheep erythrocytes (EAETRFC) in the peripheral blood of 10 horn cancer-affected cattle (40.05 +/- 2.91) was significantly low in comparison to the value in unaffected control animals (58.61 +/- 1.68). Immunotherapy with a saline phenol extract of allogeneic tumour tissue resulted in a gradual increase in the mean percentage of EAETRFC on each subsequent week. The increase was statistically significant from the second week onwards and on the sixth week, the percentage of EAETRFC in horn cancer affected cattle (56.80 +/- 1.38) closely approximated the value in unaffected controls.

Immunotherapy of bovine ocular squamous cell carcinomas with phenol-saline extracts of allogenic carcinomas

Forty cattle with unilateral ocular squamous cell carcinomas and 2 with bilateral carcinomas were treated with a single intramuscular injection of a phenol-saline extract of allogeneic bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma. Doses of extract varied from the equivalent of 100 mg of lyophilised powder to the equivalent of 1500 mg of lyophilised powder. Thirty-three of the 44 carcinomas (78%) responded to treatment, 15 regressing completely, 9 losing at least 50% of their bulk and 9 ceasing to increase in bulk. The response was significantly better (p less than 0.05) in cattle receiving 200 mg or more of lyophilised powder than in those receiving 100 mg of powder. Some 30 of 34 carcinomas (88%) responded to treatment when 200 mg or more of lyophilised powder was used. Five cattle with ocular carcinomas that had failed to respond to the initial treatment and 8 that had responded incompletely received second doses of phenol-saline extracts of allogeneic carcinomas. One carcinoma regressed completely and 2 regressed partially. Thirty cattle with untreated ocular squamous cell carcinomas were observed for periods of from one to 9 months. All the carcinomas grew progressively. Seventeen cattle with ocular squamous cell carcinomas were treated with phenol-saline extracts of bovine cutaneous papilloma, bovine foetal skin or normal bovine cornea and conjunctiva and observed for periods of from one to 14 months. A carcinoma in an animal treated with 500 mg of powder from an extract of cutaneous papilloma did not increase in size over the next 31 weeks. The other carcinomas grew progressively.

Enhancement and metastasis after immunotherapy of ovine squamous-cell carcinoma

Extracts of ovine squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC) prepared by different procedures, were injected at varying concentrations into 184 tumour-bearing sheep. At a total protein of 0.5 mg and greater, there was significant enhancement and metastasis in all 120 sheep examined. Extracts of OSCC containing less than 0.5 mg protein, or of human squamous-cell carcinoma and normal sheep skin containing high levels of protein, had no effect on subsequent tumour development. Extracts of foetal sheep skin at the 3mg-protein level produced significant enhancement and metastasis. The degree of enhancement was inversely proportional to the developmental stage of the tumour at the time of treatment.