[Chenodeoxycholic acid therapy and colorectal carcinoma--an experimental approach (author's transl)]

With respect to the potential significance of bile acids in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer the effect of continuous oral administration of chenodeoxycholic acid--which is used for conservative therapy of radiolucent gallstones--on the rate of colonic tumors was examined. In rats treated with chenodeoxycholic acid a higher incidence of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced adenocarcinomas was detected. On the basis of these results it is postulated that all patients treated with chenodeoxycholic acid due to gallstones are registered systematically in order to gain definite information about its possible role as tumor promoter.