[The effects of surgical intervention and removal of the primary tumor, and the effectiveness of Corynebacterium parvum on metastatic tumor proliferation].

The effects of surgical intervention and removal of the primary tumor, and the effectiveness of Corynebacterium parvum (Cp) on the proliferation of metastatic tumor tissue were investigated by using autoradiography to follow post-operative changes in the 3H-thymidine labelling rate of metastatic tissue in an experimental model of metastasis in mice. In addition, the delayed hypersensitivity reaction and the cytotoxicity (ADCC, NK) of lung cells were studied, to investigate the immune capacity of the host. The effect of surgical intervention on the proliferation of metastatic tumor tissue was only transitory, while removal of the primary tumor caused the continuous proliferation of remnant foci. This indicated that the primary tumor controlled the metastatic proliferation. C. parvum is an effective immunomodulator ; hence, when given before removal of the primary focus, it inhibited the formation and the continuing proliferation of remnant metastatic foci, and maintained the immune capacity of the host.