Testing of hypoxic cell radiosensitizers in vivo.

Abstract

Use has been made of the transplantable KHT sarcoma in C3H mice to test the in vivo effectiveness of some 2-, 4-, and 5-nitroimidazoles as hypoxic cell radiosensitizers. A comparison of the in vivo versus the in vitro sensitizing ability of misonidazole and metronidazole indicates some differences, probably due to drug delivery problems in vivo. The relative sensitizing abilities of eight 2-nitroimidazoles, two 4-nigroimidazoles and two 5-nitroimidazoles are compared on the basis of the amount of drug injected and the plasma levels obtained.