Abstract
A number of nitrosoalkylureas, nitrosoalkylcarbamates, and chlorinated nitrosotrialkylureas were painted twice a week on the skin of female Swiss mice at a concentration of 40 mM. Of the 29 compounds, 16 induced skin tumors in 4 or more of 20 mice; 9 compounds produced tumors in 10 or more mice. Most of the skin tumors were squamous cell or basal cell carcinomas, and some sarcomas. These carcinomas and sarcomas of the skin were large, invasive, and in several animals there were multiple large metastases to the lungs and lymph nodes. Treatment with several of the compounds was associated with poor survival. The median survival in many other groups was reduced considerably below the 2-year survival of acetone-treated controls. Many of the treatments led to development of tumors of internal organs, including mammary carcinomas, adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, and tumors of the stomach. The stomach tumors might have arisen through exposure to the compound licked from the skin. It appears that several of the compounds were absorbed through the skin of the mice and exerted their effect systemically.
Key words: Neoplasm, Swiss mice, Nitrosoalkylurea
Footnotes
Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, DHHS, under contract No. NO1-CO-74101 with Bonetics Research, Inc. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government
By acceptance of this article, the publisher or recipient acknowledges the right of the U.S. Government to retain a nonexclusive, royalty-free license in and to any copyright covering the article
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