Serial sacrifice study of pathogenesis of 210Po-induced lung tumors in Syrian golden hamsters.

The pathogenesis of 210Po-induced tumors in the peripheral lung of Syrian golden hamsters has been studied in a serial sacrifice experiment utilizing both plastic (glycol methacrylate) and routine paraffin embedding procedures for lung sections. A rapid progression from hyperplasia of bronchiolar-type cells that appear in the alveolar region to malignant tumors was documented. Tumors began appearing as early as 15 weeks after the first intratracheal instillation of 210Po.