Study of the morphologic character and in vivo radiosensitizing effect of 5-thio-α-D-glucose toward a malignant melanoma of golden Syrian hamsters

Low LET radiation was evaluated alone and in combination with 5-thio-α-D-glucopyranose (5TDG) for reducing the in vivo growth of amelanotic malignant melanoma. Nine groups of tumor-bearing animals received radiation and/or 5TDG treatments and a tenth group served as non-treatment controls. The radiation protocols, equivalent in terms of Time-Dose-Fractionation value, were 2.25, 5.20, or 8.00 gray per treatment. The 5TDG as mother liquor was administered orally for 22 days at 0.75 or 1.5 g/kg-day. The 1.5 g/kg-day dose level was omitted from a second study. In the first radiosensitization study, animals treated with radiation or radiation and 5TDG, exhibited a reduction in tumor growth compared to the control group. The group receiving 5.20 gray and 0.75 g/kg-day displayed a significant reduction in tumor growth for Days 8-22 of the study compared to the control group. Treatment with 5TDG alone did not reduce tumor growth. In the second study, treatment with radiation alone reduced tumor growth. Radiation and drug treatment protocols did not reproduce the findings from the first radiosensitization study