The combined effect of radiation and chemical carcinogens in female A X IF mice.

Groups of mice were exposed to various doses of ionizing radiation on one occasion. In two groups of animals the bladder carcinogens dibutylnitrosamine (DBNA) and 4-ethylsulphonyl-naphthalene-1-sulphonamide (ENS) were administered 48 hours after irradiation.Post mortem and histopathological examinations failed to show any significant lesion in the bladder of animals subjected to radiation per se. Furthermore, radiation did not influence the latent period or incidence of bladder tumours induced by DBNA and ENS. However, radiation shortened the latent period of mammary tumours and, in some groups, increased the incidence of such lesions. When radiation was combined with the chemical carcinogens there was a marked reduction in the incidence of mammary tumours.