Dear Cipirian

It is theoretically possible that a subclinical mass of tumor could reach
CT-detectable size within 6 months.     CT scan could not detect tumor mass
less than 5 mm; this size of a tumor could already contain 1x E7 ( ten
million) cells.     As the maximum number of tumor cells that could be
packed in a 4-cm tumor  is 1 x E10 ( provided that diameter of a tumor cell
is 20 micrometer),  number of cell division required for the 5 mm tumor to
grow 4-cm is 10 ( E10/E7 = 1000=10 x log 2).    Many human tumor cells
cultured in vitro show generation time of 24 hours.   If an ADK
(adenocarcinoma?) cell in the patient has (1) a generation time of 24 hours,
i.e., one day, (2) growth fraction of 1, i.e., all cells could divide and
(3) no cell loss, the number of tumor cells could increase to ;150 (30 days
x 5 months) x log 2=1 x E45 .    you could get a big enough ( too big!)
tumor within 6 months.

Sincerely yours,

Koichi Ando

Koichi Ando, D.D.S., Ph.D., D.M.Sc.
Head,
International Space Radiation Laboratory
National Institute of Radiological Sciences
9-1, Anagawa-4-chome, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi,
Chiba 263-8555 Japan
tel:  +81 43 206 3231; +81 43 251 2111 ext.6925
fax:  +81 43 251 4531




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