A Spontaneous Metastasizing Fibrosarcoma in the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) With Some Observations on Tumor Recurrence and Metastasis After Transplantation2

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A subcutaneous fibrosarcoma was discovered in an untreated adult hamster. The tumor had metastasized to different organs in both thoracic and abdominal cavities. Gross and microscopic features of the tumor are described. A tumor incidence of 89 percent was obtained after subcutaneous transplantation into other hamsters. Macroscopic metastases were seen in 66 percent of the hosts during an average observation period of 96 days. Metastases occurred more frequently among hamsters bearing the larger subcutaneous tumors than among the animals with the smaller ones. The lungs and kidneys appeared to be most susceptible, while occasional metastases were observed in the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, heart, and body wall. Excision of subcutaneous sarcomas from another group of hamsters was followed by recurrences in 55 percent of these animals. The tendency to recur did not appear to be related to size of primary tumor excised. Although the incidence of metastasis was high for the hamsters with and without recurrences (100 and 73 percent, respectively), metastases were more widely disseminated in the former group.