Effect of phenobarbital on the carcinogenesis of N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide in rats.

Male Fischer rats were fed a N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl]-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) diet for 6 weeks followed by a phenobarbital (PB) diet for an additional 86 weeks. PB significantly increased the incidence of bladder tumors, but not the incidence of hepatic foci and areas of cellular alterations caused by FANFT. The results suggest that PB may be a weak promoter for bladder carcinogenesis, and that FANFT may not be an initiator for hepatocarcinogenesis.