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Reevaluation of the Number of Cells Involved in the Neutron Induction of Mammary Neoplasms¹

Department of Radiology [M. N. G., R. J., K. H. C.], Human Oncology [J. C., K. H. C.], and Statistics [J.C.], University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

The shape of the curve relating carcinogen dose to the number of animals developing neoplasms is reexamined; a family of curves relating expected tumor incidence to carcinogen dose, if tumors arose from one cell or two or more interacting cells, is calculated; and how closely these curves correspond to reported radiation dose in relation to mammary tumor incidence is tested. The results are in conflict with the conclusion of Rossi and Kellerer that the induction of mammary tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats is dependent on the action of neutron radiation on more than one cell. Indeed, there appears to be no reason to reject the simplest hypothesis that one transformed cell is sufficient to produce a mammary tumor.

¹ Supported by NIH center Grant 5 P30 CA145-05 and NIH Research Grant CA14520-05 awarded by the National Cancer Institute, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and by the American Cancer Society Julia J. Corsaw Memorial Grant PDT46Q.

² Present address: Argonne National Laboratory, Division of Biological and Medical Research, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, Ill.

³ Supported in part by NIH Grant 1 RO1 CA18332-01.

Received 6/27/77. Accepted 10/17/77.