Effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on dimethylbenzanthracene-induced carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch.

The studies demonstrated that the use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a vehicle for dimethylbenzanthracene in the produc tion of experimental tumors in the hamster cheek pouch, sig nificantly reduced the latent period for tumor production when compared to the usual mineral oil vehicle. No systemic or local changes could be attributed to the DMSO itself, and the mor phology of induced tumors was not changed. This finding may be of significance for the possible use of DMSO in other carcinogenesis studies and, particularly, for further investigations of the two-phase phenomenon of carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch.