Incidence, growth and antigenicity of fibrosarcomas induced by Teflon disc in mice

Subcutaneous sarcomas were induced in BALB/c, C3Hf/Dp, and C57BL/He female mice by implantation of a Teflon disc or by injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA). The incidence of DMBA tumors was homogeneously high (60-86%) in the 3 strains, and the latency varied from 16 to 26 weeks from treatment. Teflon-induced tumors developed, in the BALB/c, C3Hf/Dp, C57BL/He mice, in 44, 94, and 30%, with a mean latency of 78, 61, and 82 weeks respectively. Evaluation of the growing capacity of 4 DMBA-induced and 14 Teflon-induced fibrosarcomas at the first and second transplant passage showed that Teflon tumors grew faster and needed a smaller cell dose to take than the DMBA tumors. Transplantation type antigens were detected only on the chemically induced tumors. Cross-reacting antigens were detected on 3 of the 5 Teflon-induced tumors by an in vitro assay for cell-mediated cytotoxicity.