Effect of Alcohol and Cigarette Smoke as Promoting Agents in Hamster Pouch Carcinogenesis

¹ Department of Oral Pathology and Dental Research, School of Dentistry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23219

In a series of young Syrian hamsters, pouch carcinogenesis initiated by application of 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) to cheek epithelium was augmented by subsequent application of alcohol or applied whole cigarette smoke or both. These findings support previous reports that smoke and alcohol act individually as promoting agents in experimental oral carcinogenesis. Neither locally applied alcohol nor applied whole cigarette smoke acted as co-carcinogens or carcinogens on hamster pouch epithelium. Under conditions of this study, whole cigarette smoke appeared to be a more potent promoting agent than locally applied alcohol, as evaluated clinically and histologically.