Metastases following biopsy of oral carcinoma in hamsters and the role of local prebiopsy bleomycin.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This animal study researches the effect of biopsy on metastasis of oral carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty hamsters developed oral tumors after treatment with 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene and were then divided into six groups. Animals of groups 1 and 2 did not receive any treatment, while groups 3-6 were biopsied at the end of the 14th week and groups 5 and 6 also received a prebiopsy intratumoral injection of bleomycin. Animals of groups 1, 3, 5 and 2, 4, 6 were sacrificed at the 17th and 19th week respectively. Specimens of tumors, ipsilateral cervical lymph nodes, lungs and livers were obtained from all animals and histologically examined. RESULTS: All animals developed oral squamous cell carcinomas. In group 4, four out of ten animals showed metastases to the cervical lymph nodes, and one out of four showed a distant metastasis to the lung. CONCLUSION: Delay of treatment following biopsy can increase the risk of cervical lymph node metastases which can be reduced by an intratumoral administration of bleomycin.