Liver and urinary bladder tumors in dogs from 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine

Six female beagle dogs were given, by capsule, a daily oral dose of 100 mg of 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine (DCB), 3 times per week for 6 weeks, then 5 times per week continuously for periods up to 7.1 years. The DCB test was terminated after 7.1 years. Six untreated female beagle dogs served as controls for several tests and were sacrificed after 8.3 to 9.0 years on test. All 6 DCB dogs had an elevated plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity during the first 3 years on test; two dogs showed persistent elevation throughout the test. One DCB dog, sacrificed in extremis after 3.5 years on test, had no tumors. Another DCB dog, sacrificed in extremis after 6.6 years on test, developed an undifferentiated carcinoma of the liver with metastases to many organs; this dog also had a papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Of the 4 remaining DCB dogs sacrificed after 7.1 years on test, 3 developed hepatocellular carcinomas and all 4 had papillary transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder. No liver or urinary bladder tumors were found in the 6 control dogs. DCB was found to be carcinogenic for the liver and urinary bladder in dogs under the conditions employed (p less than .025, Fisher's Exact Test, one tail).