Reduction in the incidence of radiation-induced tumors in rats after restriction of food intake.

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Abstract
In an inbred colony of Sprague-Dawley rats, fractionated total-body X-ray irradiation (150 rads 5 times at weekly intervals; 1 rad = 0.01 gray) increased the incidence of tumors from 22% to 93% in females and from 5% to 59% in males. Here, the influence of reduced food intake on the incidence of radiation-induced tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats is reported. All rats in both groups received fractionated total-body X-ray irradiation similar to that specified above. Among the irradiated rats on full (ad lib) diet diet (5-6 pellets of Purina Rodent Lab Chow per day, each) were 14 females and 9 males, and all (100%) developed tumors (or leukemia) at an average age of 13.7 mo. in females and 13.4 mo. in males. Among the litter mates on restricted diet (2 pellets of Purina Rodent Lab Chow per day, each), only 9 of 29 females (31%) developed tumors at an average age of 18.2 mo. and 1 of 15 males (6.7%) developed a tumor at 9 mo. of age. In the full diet group, the majority of tumors developing in females were benign. Among the 9 irradiated males, 1 developed leukemia and the remaining 8 developed tumors; 7 of them were examined, 6 were found malignant, and 1 was benign. In the restricted diet group, of the 9 tumors that developed in females, 4 were malignant and 5 were benign. The tumor that developed in 1 male was a sarcoma.