Experimentally produced synovial sarcoma in mice.

BALB/c and C57 B1/6 mice which received weekly subcutaneous injections of a cannabinoid developed tumors at the points of injection. In the groin the tumors were fibrosarcomas, while in the interscapular region they were anaplastic sarcomas and synovial sarcomas. The latter developed faster and were larger in cannabinol - and cannabidiol-treated C57 B1/6 mice than in delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-treated BALB/c mice. This difference could not be attributed to strain differences. 2 cannabidiol- and 1 cannabinol-treated C57 B1/6 females with the fastest growing synovial sarcomas were pregnant and, in addition, 2 of them developed mammary adenocarcinomas, indicating that they were rich in estrogen. On the other hand, it is known that delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol causes a decrease in the sex hormone. It is consequently thought that the cannabinoids are only initiators of synovial sarcoma, while growth or promotion of the latter is influenced partially or entirely by the sex hormone.