Tumors of the nasal cavities induced in rats by 2,2-dioxopropyl-N-propylnitrosamine. Comparative aspects with man.

Weekly SC administration of 2,2-dioxopropylnitrosamine to 88 Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in the induction of 76 separate neoplasms in the respiratory region of the nasal cavities. No tumors of the olfactory region were found. Histologically there were 37 squamous papillomas, 17 transitional papillomas, and 22 squamous cell carcinomas. These tumors were compared with a selected group of 53 related human tumors of the nasal and paranasal cavities, consisting of 11 squamous cell papillomas, 13 transitional papillomas, and 29 squamous cell carcinomas. While the experimental squamous cell papillomas showed a striking histological resemblance with the squamous papillomas observed in man, none of the experimental transitional papillomas had evidence of the characteristics inverted pattern seen in humans; nevertheless, the experimental tumors showed signs of incomplete squamous metaplasia and preservation of intraepithelial secretory glands, features commonly seen in transitional papillomas of man. The squamous cell carcinomas of this experiment were very similar to the corresponding human tumors in morphology and sex incidence. In both species a significant number of squamous cell carcinomas were keratinizing and of a high grade of histological malignancy. In addition, 69% of the human squamous cell carcinomas occurred in the male sex, and 72% of the experimental carcinomas developed in males. This comparative study suggests that further studies investigating the significance of nitrosamines as suspected etiologic factors of nasal carcinogenesis in man may be useful.