Gross and histopathologic effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate and progesterone on the mammary glands of adult beagle bitches.

Adult beagle bitches received 0.2 to 75 mg/kg doses of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) once every 3 months for 1 to 1.5 years. Doses greater than 2.0 mg/kg prevented the recurrence of ovarian cycles; lower doses did not. MPA (10 and 75 mg/kg) induced a dose-related development of multiple, large (greater than 5 mm diameter) mammary nodules that occurred earlier in older dogs than in younger dogs. MPA-induced mammary hyperplasia and nonnodular dysplasias were also noted. Most of the large (5 to 110 mm in diameter) MPA-induced nodules were, in nearly equal numbers, nodules of lobular hyperplasia, simple adenomas, or complex adenomas. Such benign mammopathies all appear to have histopathologic counterparts in human breast disease. However, simple adenomas are uncommon in both humans and dogs. Some of the MPA-induced nodules were benign mixed tumors with cartilaginous metaplasia. No malignant tumors were found. Induction of mammary tumors by 75 mg MPA/kg was not affected by prior ovariectomy but was reached by prior hypophysectomy, suggesting involvement of pituitary secretion in MPA-induced mammary gland disease.