Experimental pancreatic ductal (ductular) tumors.

Pancreatic ductal (ductular) tumors similar in morphological and biological characteristics to those in man can be induced in Syrian golden hamsters by specific nitroso compounds. The short latency period and high yield of these neoplasms and their possible selective induction make this model unique for investigating many aspects of this dismal human disease. Most of these neoplasms derive from ductular cells, including centroacinar cells and islet cell precursors, and only a few appear to arise from ductal epithelium. Tumors from both cell origins share various histological characteristics with relevant human tumors. Also, in analogy to the findings in man, we have seen mixed ductular-insular and ductular-acinar cell carcinomas. With regard to etiology, it is postulated that the similarity of the carcinogen molecule to sugar facilitates its uptake into the ductular cells (islet cell precursors). The histogenesis of tumors (which indicates an intimate relationship between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas) is described, tumor etiology is discussed and a system of classifying the induced tumors proposed.