Abstract
Gastrointestinal carcinoma was induced in male Wistar rats by administration of N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG). During the carcinogenic process, blood polyamine levels were measured, and pathological investigation was conducted simultaneously.
The results were as follows :
1) Polyamine levels increased with the advancement of tumors.
2) When tumors invaded to the submucosal layer or deeper, the blood polyamine levels became higher than those in control rats ; the increases in spermidine and spermine levels were especially remarkable.
3) The level of each polyamine was significantly higher in tumor-bearing rats than in control rats.
These results suggest the usefulness of blood polyamine assay as a marker of carcinogenesis.
