Hematologic malignancies developing in Syrian golden hamsters during induction of pancreatic carcinoma.

Abstract

We report 30 hematologic malignancies arising in 25 of 236 Syrian golden hamsters (SGH) that received combinations of N-nitrobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) and Streptozotocin (STZ). Lesions developed with morphological similarity to human small lymphocytic (n = 7), diffuse mixed (n = 2), diffuse large cell lymphoma (n = 13), follicular lymphoma (n = 2), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (n = 3), hairy cell leukemia (n = 2), malignant histiocytosis (n = 1) and discordant lymphomas (n = 5). The types and distribution of these lesions are different from epizootic lymphomas in SGH. We also report a higher percentage (12 versus 4.6%) and the earlier appearance (< or = 40 versus 80-112 weeks) compared with aging-associated spontaneous SGH lymphoma. The features of these hematologic malignancies have not been previously reported in epizootic or aging-associated spontaneous lymphomas and therefore suggest a new class of hematologic lesions in SGH. Benign and atypical hyperplasia correlated with STZ administration (r = 0.97, P = 0.03). The malignant lesions correlated with areas of lymphoid hyperplasia (r = 0.78, P= 0.004). Only one of the 21 untreated SGH spontaneously developed a low grade lymphoma. The unusual types, distribution and occurrence of these lesions may suggest a role for these carcinogens in their induction.