Effect of multiple heatings on the blood flow in RIF-1 tumours, skin and muscle of C3H mice

Abstract

The effect of one to five multiple heatings on blood flow in the RIF-1 tumour, skin and muscle of C3H mice was studied. When heated for 1 h at 43.5°C the tumour blood flow increased 1.8 times, and rapidly decreased after the heating to less than half the control value. The 2nd-5th heatings at 43.5°C, applied at 1- or 3-day intervals, caused no further significant change in the tumour blood flow. In the skin and muscle the blood flow increased 5 times when heated for 1 h at 43.5°C, and remained at 1.5–2.0 times of control for 1–3 days after the heating. The blood flow in the skin and muscle, particularly in the skin, was further increased by the 2nd-5th heatings applied at 3-day intervals, but not at 1-day intervals, albeit the additional increase was very small. Consequently, whereas the tumour blood flow was 5–6 times greater than that in the skin and muscle before heating, it was only about 1.5–2.0 times greater than that in the skin and muscle during the 1st heating. The tumour blood flow became more or less similar to the normal tissue blood flow during the 2nd-5th heatings given at 3-day intervals. The decline in the vascular response in normal and tumour tissues to the 2nd-5th heatings suggested development of vascular thermotolerance.

Key Words:

• multiple heatings
• hyperthermia
• RIF-1 tumour blood flow
• skin blood flow
• muscle blood flow
• vascular thermotolerance.