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Observations on Thymectomy and Carcinogenesis

National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, N. W. 7, England

Neonatally thymectomized rats of two strains inoculated with SV40 developed more tumors after a shorter latent period than control rats. About 17% of CBA mice thymectomized at 3 weeks of age developed tumors after room infection with polyoma virus. No significant difference was found between the incidence of skin tumors of neonatally thymectomized and control rats treated with 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. From these and other observations, it is concluded that neonatal thymectomy does not consistently increase the incidence of chemically induced tumors but does increase the incidence of tumors after exposure to polyoma and SV40 viruses and adenovirus type 12. Oncogenesis by leukemia viruses and the Bittner agent is not increased by thymectomy. The latter viruses, but not the former, induce tolerance after neonatal exposure; hence thymectomy can have no potentiating effect.

Received 8/26/66. Accepted 12/ 1/66.

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