Spontaneous tumors and common diseases in two colonies of Syrian hamsters. IV. Vascular and lymphatic systems and lesions of other sites.

Spontaneous tumors were found in the vascular and lymphatic systems upon systemic histologic examination of the cardiovascular, hematopoietic, and lymphatic tissues of Syrian hamsters from the Eppley (EC) and Hannover colonies (HC). The incidence of endothelial tumors (hemangioendotheliomas) was similar in both colonies and sexes. The hemangioendotheliomas generally originated in the liver and spleen. Malignant lymphomas developed in high incidences in both colonies; however, their morphology varied. Those in EC hamsters were of histiocytic and, to a lesser extent, plasmacytic types; in the HC lymphocytic and epithelioid cell types were also found. Among tumors of miscellaneous sites, Harderian gland adenomas occurred in almost equal frequencies in EC and HC hamsters, but predominated in males. Tumors of the bone and soft tissue were present only in EC hamsters, whereas skin neoplasms developed solely in HC hamsters.