Effect of repeated surgical trauma on chemical carcinogenesis.

C57BL/6 mice given subcutaneous injections of a tumor-producing dose of 3,4,9,10dibenzpyrene were subjected to either skin wounding or laparotomy. Tumors were induced earlier and progressed more rapidly in the mice subjected to either of the surgical procedures. The mice subjected to laparotomy exhibited the greatest effect of tumorigenesis compared with that in control and skin-wounded mice. The data indicate that surgical trauma acts as a co-carcinogen, augmenting the carcinogenic effect of 3,4,9,10-dibenzpyrene.