Mammary tumor occurrence in beagles given {sup 239}Pu

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199509000-00010· OSTI ID:229663

Lloyd, R D; Bruenger, F W; Angus, W ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

Comparison of 120 young adult female beagles given 0.026 to 106 kBq {sup 239}Pu kg{sup -1} by intravenous injection and 63 comparable female control beagles showed that there were no significant differences in the risk of mammary tumor appearance between the two groups. This was the case for benign tumors only, for malignant tumors only, and for both malignant and benign tumors considered together. for malignant tumors the observed number was 73 as compared with 69 expected; for benign tumors, there were 131 observed and 126 expected; for all tumors (separate analysis, not just the addition of malignant plus benign), there were 199 observed and 199 expected. Chi-square analysis indicated that the p values for all these comparisons were >0.05. There were 45 controls (71.4%) with any tumor vs. 67 dogs (55.8%) given Pu (95% C.I. = 46.9% to 86.2%). No significant differences could be established (Kaplan-Meier analysis) between these two groups for survival age at diagnosis of the first mammary tumor, 11.75 {+-} 0.30 y for dogs given Pu vs. 11.90 {+-} 0.36 y for controls. We reported previously that differences in mammary cancer occurrence had been identified between this same group of control dogs and 57 female beagles given {sup 226}Ra as young adults. The present study appears to support the earlier conclusion that something other than alpha irradiation of the skeleton (both {sup 226}Ra and {sup 239}Pu deposit in bone) seems to affect the appearance of mammary cancers, since internally deposited {sup 226}Ra does appear to induce these malignancies, possibly from initial deposition in mammary tissue of the parent radionuclide or the subsequent concentration in sensitive tissue of its radioactive progeny, {sup 222}Rn or isotopes of polonium, lead, and bismuth, which are absent in the case of {sup 239}Pu. 15 refs., 5 tabs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76EV00119; AC04-76EV01013
• OSTI ID: 229663
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 69; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BEAGLES
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
INTRAVENOUS INJECTION
MAMMARY GLANDS
NEOPLASMS
PLUTONIUM 239
POLONIUM
PROGENY
RADIUM 226
SKELETON
STATISTICAL DATA