In vitro induction of giant cell tumors from cultured hamster islets treated with N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine

Giant cell carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare tumor. Its histogenesis is s till controversial. In a Syrian hamster pancreatic cancer model, tumors sim ilar to human giant cell carcinomas have been induced at an extremely low r ate of incidence and after the use of high doses of pancreatic carcinogens. Thus far no tumors of giant cell type have been induced by the in vitro tr eatment of hamster pancreatic ductal cells with the potent pancreatic carci nogen N-nihosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP). In the present study we report t he induction of giant cell carcinoma from hamster islets treated with BOP i n vitro. The results suggest that in hamsters some component of islet cells , probably stem cells, are the origin of giant cell carcinoma.