Effect of chronic protein malnutrition on host-tumor composition and growth

A protein-deficient diet (7%) was compared to a normal protein-content diet (24%) for changes in F344 rat carcass, methylcholanthrene (MCA)-tumor growth, liver and tumor DNA and nitrogen content, and tissue DNA specific activity. Body weight gain in non-tumor-bearing protein-deficient animals was inhibited, while protein-deficient tumor-bearing rats exhibited similar growth characteristics with an increase in carcass weight loss during the final...