Endometrial Sarcomas of the Uterus and Carcinosarcomas of the Submaxillary Salivary Gland in Castrated A × C Strain Female Rats Receiving N,N-Fluorenyldiacetamide and Norethandrolone

Abstract

In 10 castrated female A × C rats receiving N,N-fluorenyldiacetamide (2FdiAA) and norethandrolone, 3 developed sarcomas of the uterus and 2 carcinosarcomas of the salivary glands. It appears that norethandrolone causes endometrial cystic hyperplasia which with 2-FdiAA leads to endometrial sarcomas of the uterus. The carcinosarcomas of the salivary gland did not develop in intact animals of either sex and may be related to the anabolic effects of norethandrolone. Salivary-gland tumors did not occur in similarly treated castrated male rats with or without norethandrolone. Neither tumors of the uterus nor salivary glands were observed in intact females given norethandrolone or in intact or castrated female rats given progesterone or testosterone. Hence, both the absence of the gonads and the presence of norethandrolone seem to be important in the induction of uterine sarcomas or salivary-gland carcinosarcomas in A × C rats fed 2-FdiAA.