Experiments on the chemotherapy of cancer

Abstract

STRONG [1938; 1939] has shown that the growth of spontaneous mammary tumours in mice is inhibited by feeding heptaldehyde. This was confirmed by Boyland & Mawson [1938] who found, however, that citral had a greater inhibi- tory effect than heptaldehyde. Some other aldehydes have now been examined but none has proved to be as effective as citral. In an attempt to understand the action of these aldehydes on tumours a number of related compounds and possible metabolic products have been tested; of these malonic acid was found to have marked inhibitory action.