Therapeutic studies with BCG, cyclophosphamide and surgery alone and in combination on the autochthonous mammary carcinoma of the rat.

In a randomized study the effects of BCG, cyclophosphamide and surgery alone and in combination on the mammary carcinoma (induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene) of the rat were investigated. Surgical excision of the tumours increased the survival time. Cyclophosphamide retarded growth of tumours and delayed the appearance of relapses compared to surgery. A single, intravenous injection of BCG (10(7) viable organisms) showed no statistically significant retardation of tumours. Immunotherapy with BCG could not increase the effectiveness of cyclophosphamide or surgery or their combination.