The effects of heat and cadmium (Cd) treatment on the adhesion and subsequent growth of normal (HAIN-55) and malignant (HeLa S3 and HGC-27) human cultured cells were investigated. When malignant human cells were preincubated with 2.0ppm Cd, damage of the so-treated cells was temperature-dependent. In contrast, the subsequent growth of HAIN-55 cells was not affected by Cd treatment at high temperatures. There was no effect of 2.0ppm Cd on the adhesiveness of normal and malignant human cells at high temperatures. Compared with findings in malignant cells, the adhesive function and growth of normal human cells were markedly less sensitive to a high temperature or Cd.