title: Acceleration of the development of benzopyrene-induced skin cancer in mice by microwave radiation.
abstract: Development and growth of skin cancer may be affected by various physical and chemical factors present in human environment. Of these factors electromagnetic radiation of radio- and microwave spectra are among the most common. In the present study Balb/c mice were exposed to chemical carcinogen, 3,4-benzopyrene, painted on the skin every 2nd day for a total of 6 months, and simultaneously irradiated with athermal (5 mW/cm2) or subthermal (15 mW/cm2) doses of 2,450 MHz microwaves. The other group of animals was preirradiated with microwaves at 10 mW/cm2 power level for 1, 2, or 3 months and then treated with benzopyrene, as above. Control mice were exposed for 6 months to benzopyrene, resulting in the development of baso- or spinocellular skin carcinoma within approximately 9 months, and sham-irradiated with microwaves. The growth of the tumour was assessed according to a self-designed 7-range macroscopic scale, supported by microscopical examinations of skin sections. All protocols of microwave irradiations resulted in a significant acceleration of the development of benzopyrene-induced skin cancer and in shortening of life span of the tumour-bearing hosts. This effect seemed to be dose-dependent since subthermal doses (15 mV/cm2) and longer (3 months) expositions to microwaves were more efficient as compared to athermal doses (5 mW/cm2) and shorter preirradiations. In addition, low-level, long-lasting exposure to microwaves led to a marked suppression of delayed hypersensitivity of mice treated with benzopyrene, as assessed by their reactivity to dinitrofluorbenzene (DNFB). It is suggested that the observed co-carcinogenic effect of microwave radiation may, at least in part, result from the inhibitory action of microwaves on cellular immune reactions of exposed animals.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D003043:Cocarcinogenesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008872:Microwaves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001580:Benzopyrenes; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene