Effect of Thymectomy on the Induction of Skin Tumours by 3,4-Benzopyrene

Thymectomy and Cancer—A Follow-Up Study

“…For example, Miller et al (1963) found increased activity of a carcinogenic hydrocarbon in producing skin cancer in mice thymectomized at 3 days of age when compared with sham operated controls, while Gaugus et al (1969) Kornfeld et al (1965) foutnd a normal primary response to H-agglutinin after triple typhoid vaccination in both thymectomized and nonthymectomized myasthenics, but found evidence of an impaired secondary response after later challenge. The impairment was greater in thymectomized than in non-thymectomized patients, but the authors were uncertain whether removal of the thymus or the greater severity of the disease in patients who had come to operation was responsible for the difference.…”

Immunodepression During Urethane and N-Nitrosomethylurea Leukaemogenesis in Mice

“…Therefore, the immunological apparatus should exert an important role in controlling the development of neoplasia and any interference with immune functions should influence the incidence and latency of tumours as originally proposed by Prehn and Main (1957). This hypothesis has been proved by several studies in mice which included the role of thymectomy on chemical-and virus-induced tumours (Miller et al, 1963;Law, 1966) and the contribution of the immunodepressive effect of carcinogenic substances to their own carcinogenic action (Prehn, 1963;Stjernsward, 1967). Among the chemical carcinogens, the polycyclic hydrocarbons have been shown to reduce both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses (Stjernsward, 1969), while other classes of chemical carcinogens have been little investigated from this point of view.…”

Thymectomy and asbestos-induced mesotheliomas in rats

“…Some authors (Miller et al, 1963;Grant & Miller, 1965;Nomoto & Takeya, 1969) have shown that tumour induction could be increased in thymectomized animals when they were compared with a group that had had sham thymectomy. When thymectomized and surgically intact animals were compared, other authors (Allison & Taylor, 1967; Law, 1965) found no significant difference in tumour induction.…”