Action of Tumour Growth and Tissue Products on the Zonal Distribution of Liver Glycogen in Rats and Mice

Abstract

IN 1947, Young et al.¹ reported a decreased deposition of glycogen in the livers of tumour-bearing mice given a glucose load after a fasting period. Goranson et al.² were unable to demonstrate any real difference in the levels of liver glycogen in fasted controls and tumour-bearing rats and showed that the phosphorylase activity in the liver was about the same in both groups. On the other hand, the blood sugar-levels of tumour-bearing animals according to Goranson et al.³ is reduced in alloxan-induced diabetes. As pointed out by Boyd et al.⁴ the carbohydrate metabolism in human beings may be abnormal in malignant disease. These authors demonstrated a decrease in glucose tolerance in, cancer patients which was reversed to normal by treatment with œstrogens.