Premium
Tumour initiation by natural and contaminating asbestos oils
Author(s) -
Roe F. J. C.,
Walters M. A.,
Harington J. S.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910010508
Subject(s) - asbestos , croton oil , medicine , immunology , materials science , metallurgy , inflammation
Oils are present “naturally” in crocidolite and amosite asbestos. During processing, transport and storage, asbestos tends to be contaminated with other oils, including jute oil. Large commercial samples of crocidolite and amosite were extracted, by means of specially purified solvents, to remove both primary and contaminating oils. The later were tested for tumour‐initiating activity by twice‐weekly application to the dorsal skin of mice alternating with once‐weekly application of the tumour‐promoting agent, croton oil. Significantly more papillomas and, in the case of amosite oil, carcinomas, arose in response to treatment with asbestos oil plus croton oil than in response to croton oil only. The tumour‐initiating response was weak but reasons are given for not rejecting the possibility that the oils play a significant role in the induction of cancer by asbestos.