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The Effect of Age at Exposure to a Sublethal Dose of Fast Neutrons on Tumorigenesis in the Male Rat¹

Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory, San Francisco, California 94135

Male rats were irradiated with a single whole-body sublethal dose (215 to 230 rads) of fast neutrons as juveniles (1 month), young adults (3 months), or old adults (21 months of age) and maintained in a duration-of-life study. The extent of tumorigenesis was analyzed with respect to the general types of tumors, the percentage of animals with tumors, and the distribution of tumors among organs within each age group. In no instance did irradiation result in a significant excess of animals with tumors in the oldest group. Radiation was particularly effective in inducing benign epithelial and nonepithelial tumors as well as malignant nonepithelial tumors in the juvenile group and malignant epithelial tumors in the young adult group. The skin, kidneys, and Langerhans's islands in the two younger groups; the lungs in the young adult groups; and the breast tissue, bone, thyroid, peripheral nerves, and skeletal muscle in the juvenile group were particularly suceptible to the neoplastic effects of radiation.

¹ This study was supported by funds provided by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, United States Navy, and by the Defense Atomic Support Agency. The opinions and assertions contained in this report are those of the authors and are not to be construed as official views of the Department of Defense. Research was conducted according to the principles enunciated in the "Guide for Laboratory Animal Facilities and Care," prepared by the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council.

² Deceased.

³ Present address: Life Sciences, Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, Calif. 94025.

⁴ Present address: The Radiation Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. 97331.

⁵ Present address: Pathology Department, Mt. Sinai Hospital, 8720 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, Calif. 90048.

Received 3/26/71. Accepted 6/11/71.