Proliferative lesions of serous membranes in ovariectomised female and entire male dogs after stilboestrol administration.

Abstract

It was shown previously that ovarian tumours, which frequently metastasise to serous surfaces, can be produced in dogs by prolonged administration of stilboestrol. The ability of non-ovarian serous surfaces to proliferate in response to stilboestrol, independently of ovarian metastases, was studied in 5 ovariectomised females and 4 entire males. Papillary proliferations occurred on the uterine serosae in 3 females and on the testicular and cpididymal serosae in 2 males. In no case was there papillary proliferation on serous membranes of non-genital organs. One of 2 entire females given stillboestrol had proliferations regarded as metastases of ovarian origin on non-genital serous membranes. It is concluded that, in addition to ovarian changes, stilboestrol can cause primary proliferative lesions in the serous membranes of certain genital organs in both sexes. There is no evidence that serous membranes of non-genital organs be capable of a primary proliferative response to stilboestrol.