Delayed lethal response to Candida albicans infection in mice bearing the Lewis lung carcinoma.

Lethality of Candida albicans was monitored in (C57BL times DBA/2)F1 mice bearing the transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma and in sham-operated controls inoculated with Hanks' balanced salt solution. The lethal response to C. albicans infection was significantly delayed in animals inoculated with the microorganism 6-16 days after transplantation of the Lewis lung carcinoma. Maximal increases in survival times were observed when C. albicans was inoculated 8-12 days following tumor transplantation. Therefore, a delay in the lethal response to C. albicans in this untreated model murine tumor system could be elicited through implantation of the Lewis lung carcinoma; preliminary studies with some other model murine tumors and with cell-free filtrates indicated that this phenomenon is not restricted to the Lewis lung carcinoma.