Corticosteroid Effect on Transplantable Rat Glioma

Two groups of rats bearing a transplanted glioma were given methylprednisolone acetate on the tenth, 13th, and 19th days postimplantation. Group 1 animals and half of the group 2 animals were killed on day 21; the remaining group 2 animals were allowed to die from their tumor. Average treated tumor wet weights were 36.25 mg (group 1) and 34.1 mg (group 2), those untreated were 157.5 mg (group 1) and 113 mg (group 2). Group 2 control animals survived an average of 28.7 days, group 2 treated animals an average of 37.4 days. Water content and electrolyte levels in surrounding brain indicated a concomitant antiedema effect. From these data, methylprednisolone appears to be effective against primary brain tumors.