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Are Sugars Carcinogens? An Experimental Study

( National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland)

Injections (s.c.) of 25% solutions of arabinose, dextrose, galactose, lactose, levulose, maltose, sorbose, and sucrose were given twice a week into the region of the nape of the neck to 480 rats and 480 mice (in groups of 60 animals) for periods up to 2 years. Only 2 rats given sorbose solutions developed sarcomas, after 21 months, at the site of injection. No tumors were found at this site in additional series of rats and mice injected similarly with water or traumatized by needle puncture.

These observations do not support the claim that hypertonic sugar solutions parenterally introduced into rats and mice exert a carcinogenic effect. It is suggested that previously reported carcinogenic effects following repeated s.c. injection of sugar solutions may be due to the presence of carcinogenic chemical impurities in the sugars used, possibly eluted from charcoal employed for the decoloration of sugar solutions.

Received 9/28/64.