Promotion by ethanol of gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in Wistar rats

Abstract

The effects of ethanol (EtOH) on the incidence and histology of gastric cancers induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) were investigated in Wistar rats. The animals received alternate-day i.p. injections of 2.5 ml kg-1 body weight of 20% EtOH in 0.9% NaCl solution after 20 weeks of oral treatment with MNNG. Prolonged administration of EtOH resulted in a significant increase in the incidence and number of gastric cancers of the glandular stomach in week 52. However, it had no influence on the histological types of the gastric cancers. Furthermore, it caused a significant increase in the labelling index of the epithelial cells of the antrum in week 52. These findings indicate that EtOH promotes gastric carcinogenesis, and that this effect may be related to its effect in increasing proliferation of the antral epithelial cells.