Long-term carcinogenicity bioassays on methylene chloride administered by ingestion to Sprague-Dawley rats and Swiss mice and by inhalation to Sprague-Dawley rats.

Methylene chloride was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats and Swiss mice by ingestion (stomach tube), in olive oil, at the doses of 500, 100 and 0 mg/kg body weight, once daily, 4-5 days weekly, for 64 weeks, and to Sprague-Dawley rats by inhalation, at the concentration of 100 and 0 ppm, 7 hours daily, for 5 days weekly. The inhalatory treatment was started on 13-week-old breeders, and male and female offspring (12-day embryos). The breeders and part of the offspring were exposed for 104 weeks; the other part of the offspring was exposed for 15 weeks only. The most important findings were: (1) the increased incidence of pulmonary tumors in male mice treated by ingestion at 500 mg/kg body weight; (2) a not-significant increase in total malignant tumors in rats exposed by inhalation at 100 ppm for 104 weeks; and (3) a not-significant increase in total malignant mammary tumors in female rats given methylene chloride by ingestion at 500 mg/kg body weight.