Offi.-ce Memorandum- UNITEI5 STATES GOVERNMENT TOA: DATR: 4 August 1954 FIO)D SuBJwr: Kethylcholanthrene The following are brief notes on Hethyleholant@,rene, in response to vour request of August2 3, 1954. Literature: George Wolf,.AS3istant Professor, University of Illinois. "Chemical Induction of Cancer" 1953. see esp. p.29.,44 etc. Bk means of a special genetic technique, Strong, J.N.C.I.5s 339s 1945 induced tumors with met2tqlcholan- threne in marw different tissues. Methyl Chol@nthrene is a good initiator (high tumor incidence) and a good promoter (short..latent period) -P-85 Wolf. Hartwell: Survey of Compounds tested for Carcinogenic properties PHS: 149 National Institute Cancer 2 E. C. HUBER: Public Health Report Suppleftent 209, 1948 on Enviromental and Occupational Cancer. National Institute Cancer Louis F. Fieser and Mary Fieser: Natural Products related to Phenanthrene . .9 llethyl 3rd edition 1 49.. 2p. 159: cholanthrene was foui-A capable of initiating malignant growth in test animals by Gel-tera3 Z. physiol, Chemie 214989s 1933. 'Rethylel-,olanthrene is now recognized as probably the most potent known carcinogen in the production of tumors of various types. If this 2hydrocarbon can be produced in the laboratoz7 by chemical transfonnations of normal constituents of the human orrar%Lsm., it is possible th.,.t the substance may arise in the bod,.r through a process of abnormal metabolism - and initiate cancer. The degradations of desoxycholic acid (one of the normal con- stitue2nts of liuman bile), cliolic acid " cholesterol (a substance in all tissues of the body) all involve lovi-yield pt,-rolytic reactions; they have not been effected under anything approaching physiological coiiditions; careful processing of cancerous tissues and urines has failed to estab3.iqh the presence of metlWlcti6lanthrene. 8 There is thus no evidence that this or other hydrocarbon careino- gen plays &rW role in the etiology of hman cancer. On the other hand QC present evide e does not exclude such a possibility. Every mimte amount of motbyleholanthrene could produce a few mmli nant ce3.1s; these - by ceu-division and without. Further stimulation from the initiating agent could lead to a p2alpable cancerous proliferation after an induction period during which the initiating agent may have been el-inmnated from the system," SOURCE: 3-Methyl-Cholanthrene:. 4383 Cat. Chemical Cpds. Fischer Scientific Co. 7722 Woodbury, Silver Spring, Washington, D. Co Price: 1/2 g. $4.40 2 l.g. $8.25 L Carl Max 14asselmann and linns Otto Johne in Arch. Dermato Syphi3.is 188.9 693-707p 1950 reported primar7 multiple skin carcinoma with simultaneous tertiar-y syphilis. % Distur2bances of the cholesterol metabolism., presene in syphilis cases of long standing, as well as cancer cases are discussed with respect to the cliemical reaction between the physiologice-1 substances: cholesterol, bile acid and desoxycholic acid, and the cancerogenic substsnces cholan- threne and mettqlcholanthrene. -Both Huber and HartvieU appear ver7 knowledgable9 and are connected with the-National Institute Cancer.