Tobacco Documents Online

.,,. C 'eonard _ ]_ __ PUBLIC RELATIONSeC0UN5EL C and'Associates,InC. P. O.~BOX 523 • 13 UNCOLN ROAO • GREAT NECK, NN: 11021 • (212)i89S7aa5 FOR': THE; COUNCIL FOR'TOSACCO RESEARCH-U.S.A.,, Inc. FOR RELEASE TUESDAY, APRIL 2,, 1974 MASSIVE CANCER STUDYUSSNG'MADE-TO-ORDER'.MICE' New York -- A massive cancer study, using mice that have been liiterally made to order, is under way to see whether human-type lung cancer can be induced regularly in the animals, The Councili for Tobacco Roseareh-U.S.A., Inc. disclosed today. The unique investilgation will try to induce squamous lung can- cer, the type reported found most often in cigarette smokers, re- petit'i!veDy and predictably inithe animals by exposing them to var- ious chemi~cal substances, The Council saidlin its just-issued 19';3' annual report. The experimental animals, of contrasting strains, are the re- sult of sci~entific design to meet the study's goals, the report said. The highly inbred strains are essentially "laboratory cre- ations" that never existed'as such in nature and are combinationis of several elements of susceptibility. The Councili also said it is continuing to explore the feasi- bility of an international study of identical twins, first of its kind, to learnimore about the relative roles of heredi~ty and en- vironmental factors in causing dilsease. The report described The Council's expanded research program into caneer,, heart dilsease and chronic pulmonary ailments. As be- fore, it said, the main obj;ect is to get information about the causes of these constitutional diseases associated with aging, with a special interest in finding factors that may predict sus- ceptibiliity or resistance to,them. The cancer study being supported'by The Council was made pos- sible only after many preliminary studies were done, the report said. Various phases stil'l are being developed, includ'ing sub- cutaneous injections andilung implantations of known cancer- causing agents. (more) `~_

2. ( At appropriate stages in the study, the report said, the mice will be exposed to inhalation of'whole, fresh tobacco smoke or its gas-vapor phase. The study is highly complex, the report indicated,, but if it is successful, "it should provide information in biochemical, ge- netic, viral or immunologic terms how the animals that develop this disease differ from those that prove to be resistant or immune. "This is the kind of information from a.iimal experiments deemed most likely to provide promising clues for application to human studies," the report added. Because the test mice were literally created in the liaboratory, the report said, they must be regarded "as 'bundles of t'raits,' not as direct models of man, so that experimental results will be rel- evant to man or other animals only insofar as present and similar in import."' the same traits are. In experiments of thi;s kind, the report said, "either the ap- pearance or non-appearance of squamous lung cancer or other cancer should provide, not immediate conclusions,, but scientific infor- mation on a new plane of interpretability and potential relevance to man."' The Council's program continued to grow in 1973 with cancer proj,ects still receiving the greatest emphasis, the report said. Studies of chronic pulmonary ailments and epidemiological research also were expanded,, while investigations into heart disease, phar- macology and psychopharmacology continued at near previous levels. .The Council is supporting,research to see whether there is an association between lievells in humans of an enzyme known as aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and susceptibility to lung cancer. Work is under way to simplify and speed up the test for AHH levels for use in extensive human studies. In the field~o£ chronic pulmonary disease, several studies in emphysema are being funded. One aspect iis concerned with the de- struction of liung tissues by enzymes, leading to the development of emphysema, and'inhibitors of these enzymes. Research has indi- cated there is an inherited predisposition to emphysema in many cases. (more)

c 3- A highlight of eardiovasculiar researeh l'ast year, the report noted',, was the development of promising,tests for quiiek and ac- curate measurements of nicotine and related compounds in the body. "Application of such measurements to human populations could add new dimensions to the interpretation of epidemiological studies of cardiovasculiar di~sease in relation to various forms of tobacco use by showing whether or not nicotine can be in- volived,," the report said. Since its establishment in 1954 by cigarette companies and other tobacco industry elements,, The Council has awarded grants to 29$'ind'ependent scientists in 218 medical schools, hospital's and research institutions for a total of more than $26,000,000. These scientists have published:1,170 articles in medical an& scientific journals on their Council-supported work. The Council does not operate any research facility itself. The Scientific Advisory Board to The Council, consisting of dis- tinguished physicians and scientists in different fields, meets regularliy to evaluate applications for grants an&contracts. Two noted scientists joined the Bbard in 1973- These were Dr. Averi:ll A. Liebow, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of California School of Medicine in San Diego, and Dr. Henry T'. Lynch,, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine andiPiiblic Health at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebr. During the year, three long-time members retired from the Board!. Drs. McKeen Cattelil and Kenneth Merrill Lynch had been members since the Board was established in,L954, while Dr. Clayton Loosli had joined some years l'ater. The wise counsel and vast experience of these distinguished senior men of science and medicine did much to advance The Coun¢ills research program. -0-