Curative effects of all-trans-retinoic acid on rat sarcomas.

The effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-RA) on benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]-induced malignant sarcomas in Sprague-Dawley female rats were evaluated. Ninety-eight days after B(a)P administration, all-trans-RA was daily injected to animals with or without clinically palpable tumors. The growth of tumors was slowed down compared with controls. Magnetic resonance imaging analyses showed that all-trans-RA-treated rat tumors presented early necrotic areas. Animal survival was slightly increased. Anti-phosphatidylinositol autoantibody levels which were significantly higher in B(a)P-treated rat sera were not modified by all-trans-RA treatment.