Colonic cancer induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in rats after partial colectomy

Using colonic cancer induced by DMH as experimental model, carcinogenic rate in the rats with or without partial colectomy was compared in order to study the etiology of the local recurrence of large bowel cancer after radical resection and observe the influence of operative injury on carcinogenesis. Sixty five male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: 48 with a partial colectomy (group 1) and 17 controls (group 2). All were given subcutaneous injection of DMH 20 mg/kg weekly for twenty weeks. Then, some rats were killed on scheduled time, the others were sacrificed in the 29th week. The results showed that carcinogenic rate was 87.5% and 58.8% in groups 1 and 2 (P less than 0.05). The tumor number in anastomotic site in group 1 (57.1%) was much higher than that at corresponding site in group 2 (28.6%) (P less than 0.05). It is suggested that the trauma itself be one of the promoting factors for cancer recurrence in addition to implantation during operation, residual tumor, etc. Large bowel cancer induced by DMH in rats may be used as an experimental model in studying the same cancer in the human being. Furthermore, after having given DMH, large bowel cancer incidence of the rats in different intervals is described.