Abstract
ENDOCRINE tumours can be produced in animals by disturbing the hormonal balance so that an unbalanced, and abnormally strong, proliferative stimulus impinges on the target endocrine organ. During the development of these tumours, three phases can be shown to occur. Initially the tumour cells are dependent for their survival on the continued presence of the abnormal environmental stimuli (dependent phase). There follows a phase when the cells are no longer dependent for their survival on such stimuli but will grow more rapidly in the presence of such stimuli (responsive phase). Finally the tumour cells proliferate equally rapidly in the presence or absence of specific environmental stimuli (autonomous phase)1.
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METCALF, D. A Thymus Responsive Phase in Leukæmogenesis in AKR Mice. Nature 195, 88–89 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/195088a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/195088a0
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