A simple lavage method for the cytologic sampling of DMBA-induced carcinomas of the hamster cheek pouch.

An effective, simple sampling device was developed to obtain improved cytologic specimens from the cheek pouches of hamsters; it was tested in the sampling of squamous-cell carcinomas induced with 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA). Cellular samples collected by this modified syringe lavage-aspirator using Hanks' balanced salt solution contained an average of 1.3 X 10(5) cells per milliliter. Of the heterogeneous contents of the cheek pouch (food, debris, erythrocytes, leukocytes, macrophages, squamous cells, atypical cells and cancer cells), the cells of diagnostic significance from cancer and dysplasia were increased by this procedure to 3.7% of the cells recovered, as compared to 2.5% of the cells obtained by direct scraping of the same pouches. The inexpensive, disposable device allowed repeated sampling of cheek pouches without causing injury to the animals.