Increased incidence of lung metastases of sarcoma 276 bearing XVII/Berlin mice after total body irradiation and BCG.

Combined prophylactic treatment by total body irradiation and BCG produce an increase in lung metastasis incidence and pleural effusions in a syngeneic murine tumor model. The prophylactic effect of BCG on metastasis formation is abolished independently of the order of pretreatments. Several possible causative mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and the clinical implications are discussed.