Liver tumours following streptozotocin administration in rats and the effects of pancreatic islet cell transplantation

Abstract
The effects of a single injection of streptozotocin, at a dosage of 50 mg/kg body weight, have been studied in female inbred WAG rats. The resultant diabetes in the streptozotocin treated animals was treated in one group of animals by an intraportal pancreatic islet cell transplantation whilst another group received no transplant or insulin treatment. The incidence of tumours was determined at autopsy in animals sacrificed at regular intervals. Tumours, apart from one renal adenocarcinoma, were seen only in the liver and only in streptozotocin treated animals. Liver nodules and cysts were most common in animals which had received both streptozotocin and an islet cell transplant.