Catechol strongly enhances rat stomach carcinogenesis: a possible new environmental stomach carcinogen

Catechol (CAS: 120-80-9) is present in the environment, being a major industrial chemical as well as a major phenolic component of cigarette smoke. Continuous oral treatment of rats with 0.8% catechol for 51 weeks after a single intragastric dose of 150 mg/kg of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine strongly enhanced both forestomach and glandular stomach carcinogenesis. In addition, and more importantly, catechol alone induced adenocarcinoma and adenomatous hyperplasia in the pyloric region of the glandular stomach. These results clearly indicate that this environmental contaminant merits classification as an enhancer of forestomach and glandular stomach carcinogenesis with complete carcinogenic potential for the glandular stomach. Its significance for gastric tumor development in man requires elucidation.