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Growth Potentials of Precancer of the Cervix Uteri in Vitro and in Cortisone-treated Hamsters^*

( Department I of Pathology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden)

In a series of 22 cases of invasive carcinoma, nine cases of carcinoma in situ, and seven cases of dysplasia of the uterine cervix, the pathological epithelium and corresponding normal epithelium were studied in vitro and after transplantation to the cheek pouch of cortisone-treated hamsters.

Regardless of the histological malignancy grade, the invasive cancer epithelium revealed a greater growth potential than the corresponding normal epithelium in vitro as well as in hamster.

Carcinoma in situ differed from invasive carcinoma in having a mean growth rate which was no higher than that of the normal epithelium from the same patients in vitro and very probably in hamsters. Very probably carcinoma in situ had a lower growth rate than invasive carcinoma when cultivated for prolonged periods in vitro and in hamsters. In hamsters, and essentially in vitro, the dysplasias agreed with carcinoma in situ, even if they deviated less from the invasive cancers.

The morphological differences between cancer and the precancerous changes are described.

These findings seem to indicate that carcinoma in situ continues to grow slowly because of inherent epithelial qualities.

^* This investigation was supported by a research grant from the Swedish Cancer Society.

Preliminary reports of this work were presented at the International Congress of Clinical Pathology in Madrid. June 13–17, 1960, and at the International Conference on Morphological Precursors of Cancer in Perugia, June 26–30, 1961.

Received 5/29/61.