Potentiation of Pancreatic Carcinogenesis in the Rat by DL-Ethionine-Induced Pancreatitis

Abstract

We have assessed the influence of an attack of acute pancreatitis on the incidence of experimentally induced pancreatic cancer in rats. A low-protein diet plus repeated injections of DL-ethionine produced acute pancreatitis in rats. The animals were then fed either a diet of raw soya flour or a non-soya-containing diet and given repeated injections of azaserine, a weak pancreatic carcinogen. The rats that had recovered from acute pancreatitis developed pancreatic cancer, whereas those without previous pancreatitis did not. We conclude that the interaction of recovery from acute pancreatitis with a pancreatic carcinogen predisposes to pancreatic cancer in rats.

Key-words:

• Azaserine
• ethionine
• pancreatic cancer
• pancreatitis