Alcohol and hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

Alcohol was shown to enhance the carcinogenic effect of DMBA applied to hamster buccal pouch. DMBA animals given alcohol developed dysplastic leukoplakic lesions and epidermoid carcinomas 2 weeks ahead of water-drinking control animals. The tumors also grew to larger size, were more invasive, and were more anaplastic histologically. Forty young adult Syrian hamsters were divided into four groups (alcohol-DMBA, DMBA control, untreated control, and alcohol control) and were killed after 10, 12, and 14 weeks of DMBA applications three times weekly. Alcohol was given as a 10 percent solution instead of drinking water.