Efficiency of iodized suture in prevention of suture transferral of malignant tumors

In inbred DBA/2J mice with CaD2 mammary carcinoma tumor was transferred in 70 to 80% of all attempts by passing silk or catgut suture through a donor tumor then into a recipient animal. However, the frequency of growth was reduced to 25% with iodinated suture. With the S-91 melanoma use of silk or catgut resulted in 20 to 25% positive transferrals; this was reduced to 10% with iodine-treated suture. In both tumor systems iodinated suture caused a delay in tumor growth and a prolongation of life in those animals in which tumor grew. There were no toxic reactions to the iodinated suture. Iodine-treated suture should be superior to other suture materials in preventing suture transferral of tumor in clinical trials.