We have investigated the antiproliferative effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF) and radiation on a recently described rat renal cell tumor line grown as multicellular tumor spheroids (MTS). Treatment commenced when the spheroids had reached a diameter of 250 microns. TNF was diluted in the tissue culture medium in different concentrations, ranging from 250-1000 ng/ml. TNF monotherapy had a dose-dependent inhibiting effect on spheroid growth. Single-dose irradiation with 2, 4 or 6 Gy also retarded spheroids significantly in their growth. In the combination treatment the highest dose of TNF (1000 ng/ml) was added 4 hours prior to radiation. TNF could not induce a potentiation of the radiation injury at 2 Gy. The combination with 4 Gy, however, had additive and the combination with 6 Gy synergistic antiproliferative effects; in these treatment regimens respectively 2 and 5 out of 24 spheroids were controlled, i.e. cured. These experiments suggest that TNF in combination with radiotherapy may be beneficial for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma or cancer in general.