Production of lung cancer an amyloidosis in rabbits by intrabronchial instillation of benzo[a]pyrene.

Carcinogenic activity of benzo[a]pyrene alone was tested for the induction of lung cancer in rabbits. Rabbits received intrabronchial instillation of 5 or 40 mg of benzo[a]pyrene suspended in sterile saline every 10 to 14 days. Cancer incidences were approximately 42% of the rabbits that survived for more than 300 days. These cancers included squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, undifferentiated cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, and mixed type. In the same experiment amyloidosis was seen in 16 rabbits.