Spontaneous renal cell tumors in Long-Evans Cinnamon rats

Neoplastic lesions of the kidneys in untreated Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats of 57-118 weeks old (85 males and 34 females) and male F344 rats of 64-93 weeks old (59 males) were examined histologically. The incidences of renal cell tumors in male and female LEC rats were 6/80 (8%) in weeks 57-65, 3/19 (16%) in weeks 66-75, 3/8 (38%) in weeks 76-105 and 7/12 (58%) in weeks 106-118. Of these tumors, 13 were microscopic adenomas and 7 were renal cell carcinomas. The copper content of the kidneys was about three times higher in LEC rats than in F344 rats (P < 0.001), but the iron content of the kidneys was similar in the two strains.