Oxygen consumption rate (QO2) and protein content of liver and kidney of the Ehrlich ascites tumor-bearing mouse were measured from 6th till 14th day after the inoculation of 4 X 106 Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The results thus obtained were compared with those of the groups in which; 1) Whole body x-irradiation with 400 r was done to mouse prior to the inoculation of 4 X 106 Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, 2) Same number of the irradiated tumor cells were inoculated after subjecting the tumor cells to x-irradiation with 400 r or 900 r in vitro, and 3) the normal, and the following results were obtained; 1. QO2 of the liver and kidney of the tumor-bearing mouse were all lower than the normal and a gradual decrease of QO2 in both liver and kidney was noted as the ascites tumor was progressively developing. 2. In the groups where whole body x-irradiation with 400 r was done, or x-irradiation of ascites tumor cells in vitro with either 400 r or 900 r, QO2 of the liver and kidney were lower than the normal, and the pattern of the decrease was similar in the case of the tumor-bearing mouse. 3. Protein contents in all the groups showed lower values than the normal, and the decrease was gradual as the ascites tumor was developing. 4. QO2 and protein levels in the liver were generally lower than those in the kidney. 5. A certain cancerous metabolism was, therefore, noted in the remote organs of Ehrlich ascites tumor-bearing animal.
