The Carcinogenic Potency Project

N-Nitrosodiethylamine (CAS 55-18-5)
SMILES, InChI and Structure are below.
Rats and Mice: Cancer Test Summary
Rat Target Sites Mouse Target Sites TD50 (mg/kg/day)
Male Female Male Female Rat Mouse
eso kid liv vsc eso liv orc sto no test no test 0.0265m,v no test

Monkeys: Cancer Test Summary
Monkey Target Sites TD50
(mg/kg/day)
Rhesus Cynomulgus Rhesus Cynomulgus
liv liv 0.0536m,v 0.00725m,v

Bush Babies: Cancer Test Summary
Target Sites TD50
(mg/kg/day)
nas 0.0122i

Key to the Table Above

Positivity: For each chemical with a positive (carcinogenic) experiment in the Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDB), results are included on carcinogenic potency (TD50) in each species and target sites in males and females. Positivity is determined by an author’s opinion in a published paper. If all experimental results in the CDPB are negative in a sex-species group, “no positive” appears. If the CPDB has no experiments in the sex-species group, “no test” appears. The summary presents the strongest evidence of carcinogenicity in each group. If there are both positive and negative experiments in a sex-species, the negative results are ignored in this Summary Table.
Target Site Codes:   eso = esophagus. kid = kidney. liv = liver. nas = nasal cavity (includes tissues of the nose, nasal turbinates, paranasal sinuses and trachea). orc = oral cavity (includes tissues of the mouth, oropharynx, pharynx, and larynx). sto = stomach. vsc = vascular system. Target sites are listed if any author of published experimental results concluded that tumors were induced in that organ by the test agent. If there is more than one positive experiment in a sex-species, target sites listed may be from more than one experiment, e.g. if liver and lung are both listed, then liver may have been a target in one experiment and lung in another.
TD50: Our standardized measure of carcinogenic potency, TD50, is the daily dose rate in mg/kg body weight/day to induce tumors in half of test animals that would have remained tumor-free at zero dose. Whenever there is more than one positive experiment in a species, the reported TD50 value is a Harmonic Mean calculated using the TD50 value from the most potent target site in each positive experiment.
Superscripts:   i = Intraperitoneal or intravenous injection are the only routes of administration with positive tests in the CPDB. m = There is more than one positive experiment in the species, and TD50 values from each positive experiment are used in the calculation of the reported Harmonic mean of TD50. v = Variation is greater than ten-fold among statistically significant (two-tailed p<0.1) TD50 values from different positive experiments.

The Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDB) is a unique and widely used international resource of the results of 6540 chronic, long-term animal cancer tests on 1547 chemicals. The CPDB provides easy access to the bioassay literature, with qualitative and quantitative analyses of both positive and negative experiments that have been published over the past 50 years in the general literature through 2001 and by the National Cancer Institute/National Toxicology Program through 2004. The CPDB standardizes the diverse literature of cancer bioassays that vary widely in protocol, histopathological examination and nomenclature, and in the published author’s choices of what information to provide in their papers. Results are reported in the CPDB for tests in rats, mice, hamsters, dogs, and nonhuman primates.

For each experiment, information is included on species, strain, and sex of test animal; features of experimental protocol such as route of administration, duration of dosing, dose level(s) in mg/kg body weight/day, and duration of experiment; experimental results are provided on target organ, tumor type, and tumor incidence; carcinogenic potency (TD50) and its statistical significance; shape of the dose-response, author’s opinion as to carcinogenicity, and literature citation.

Only tests with dosing for at least ¼ the standard lifespan of the species and experiment length at least ½ the lifespan are included in the CPDB. Only routes of administration with whole body exposure are included. Doses are standardized, average dose rates in mg/kg/day. A description of methods used in the CPDB to standardize the diverse literature of animal cancer tests is presented for: 1) Criteria for inclusion of experiments 2) Standardization of average daily dose levels and 3) TD50 estimation for a standard lifespan. See Methods for other details.

TD50 provides a standardized quantitative measure that can be used for comparisons and analyses of many issues in carcinogenesis. The range of TD50 values across chemicals that are rodent carcinogens is more than 100 million-fold. More than half the chemicals tested are positive in at least one experiment.

A plot of all results on each experiment in the CPDB for this chemical is presented below. These results are the source information for the Cancer Test Summary table above.

N-Nitrosodiethylamine: All Experiments and Citations in CPDB

The definition of each code in the plot below will appear in a pop-up window when the field name in the header line is clicked, e.g., Strain, Site, Path. Each numbered line starts a new experiment and reports protocol information in black. Average daily dose-rates per kg body weight per day are in green. Remaining lines report experimental results in blue.

Abbreviations of fields in header line: # = the line number in the plot of all CPDB chemicals; Xpo = duration of dosing; Xpt = duration of experiment; Site = tissue; Path = tumor type; DR = dose-response; AuOp = author’s opinion about carcinogenicity; LoConf, UpConf = confidence limits (99%) on TD50; Inc = tumor incidence for each dose group.

See Guide to reading the plot for details on each field, using an example of one experiment.

See Help to improve readability, or to fit the plot onto the screen or a printed page.



Chemical (Synonym) CAS
# Species Sex Strain Route Xpo+Xpt PaperNum        0 Dose  1 Dose 2 Dose  3 Dose          Literature Reference or NCI/NTP:Site Path
Site Path Notes   TD50  DR Pval    AuOp LoConf UpConf   Cntrl   1 Inc  2 Inc   3 Inc                                                        Brkly Code



N-NITROSODIETHYLAMINE  (DEN) 55-18-5
4508 N b bbb ipj 32m32 2001s : ()                    0    .897mg           Adamson;ossc,129-156;1982/Thorgeirsson 1994/Dalgard 1997/
                                                                                                      Thorgeirsson&Seiber pers.comm.
 nac mec jw     12.2ug   P<.0005 +  3.36ug 46.0ug   0/9    10/13
 liv hpc jw     18.4ug   P<.008     3.57ug 1.03mg   0/9     2/3
 tba mal Wjw    12.2ug   P<.0005    3.36ug 46.0ug   0/9    10/13
4509 P b cym ipj 16y16 2004m :                       0    6.30ug  .322mg  .910mg  1.35mg  2.29mg
 liv hpc jw     3.63ug * P<.0005 +  944.ng 22.0ug   0/105   2/7     3/3     5/5     5/5    38/40
 tba mal Wjw    3.63ug * P<.0005    944.ng 22.0ug   0/105   2/7     3/3     5/5     5/5    38/40
4510 P b cym eat 16y16 2004n :                       0    8.07mg
 liv hpc jw     2.08mg   P<.0005 +  1.01mg 4.45mg   0/104  13/16
 tba mal Wjw    2.08mg   P<.0005    1.01mg 4.45mg   0/104  13/16
4511 P b rhe ipj 20y20 2004m :                       0    7.40ug  80.0ug  .340mg  .650mg  1.59mg  2.09mg
 liv hpc jw     27.1ug * P<.0005 +  10.1ug 59.9ug   0/120   0/4     4/8     6/6     5/5     6/6    51/53
 liv bda jw     27.0ug * P<.02      4.40ug n.s.s.   0/23   -/-       1/1    -/-      -/-      -/-      -/-
 tba mix Wjw    21.6ug * P<.0005    8.79ug 43.7ug   9/120   0/4     5/8     6/6     5/5     6/6    51/53
 tba mal Wjw    24.7ug * P<.0005    9.66ug 55.5ug   4/120   0/4     4/8     6/6     5/5     6/6    51/53
 tba ben Wjw    no dre   P=1.       .130mg n.s.s.   6/108   0/4     1/8     0/6     0/5     0/6     0/45
4512 P b rhe eat 22y22 2004n :                       0    6.87mg
 liv hpc jw     2.62mg   P<.0005 +  1.04mg 5.88mg   0/102  11/14
 tba mal Wjw    1.59mg   P<.0005    .620mg 4.89mg   5/102  11/14
4513 R f clw wat 41m41 2259 :                        0    2.00ug  4.00ug  9.00ug  18.0ug  36.0ug  72.0ug  .107mg  .143mg  .179mg
           .215mg  .287mg  .358mg  .430mg  .573mg  1.15mg                                   Peto;canr,51,6415-5451;1991a/Peto 1991b
 liv mxp        49.8ug Z P<.0005 +  37.5ug 64.7ug  16/240   6/60    4/60    4/60    7/60   12/60   35/60   44/60   47/66   47/60
             46/60   49/60   52/60   52/60   57/60   50/54
 liv hct        61.5ug Z P<.0005 +  46.6ug 80.8ug  11/240   4/60    4/60    3/60    4/60   10/60   31/60   42/60   45/66   45/60
             45/60   48/60   50/60   52/60   57/60   45/54
 liv hpc        .105mg Z P<.0005 +  75.3ug .139mg   2/240   0/60    2/60    1/60    3/60    3/60   22/60   39/60   37/66   44/60
             43/60   46/60   47/60   50/60   56/60   44/54
 eso mix        .203mg Z P<.0005 +  .162mg .250mg   0/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    3/60   19/60   21/60   32/66   29/60
             42/60   37/60   44/60   41/60   36/60   26/54
 liv bdh        .561mg * P<.0005    .200mg 2.73mg   4/240   2/60    0/60    1/60    2/60    1/60    2/60    2/60    2/66    0/60
              0/60    0/60    1/60    0/60    0/60    0/54
 liv bdb        .562mg * P<.0005    .210mg 2.63mg   3/240   2/60    0/60    1/60    2/60    1/60    2/60    2/60    2/66    0/60
              0/60    0/60    1/60    0/60    0/60    0/54
 eso mal        .729mg Z P<.0005 +  .531mg .992mg   0/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    2/60    8/60   16/66   11/60
             15/60   11/60   18/60   13/60   12/60   11/54
 liv bdm        no dre   P=1.       .657mg n.s.s.   1/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/66    0/60
              0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/54
4514 R m clw wat 40m40 2259 :                        0    1.00ug  3.00ug  5.00ug  10.0ug  20.0ug  41.0ug  61.0ug  82.0ug  .102mg
           .122mg  .163mg  .204mg  .245mg  .326mg  .653mg
 liv mxp        52.0ug Z P<.0005 +  37.3ug 72.1ug  13/240   4/60    2/60    9/60    4/60    7/60   15/60   25/60   15/60   25/60
             26/60   31/60   29/60   35/60   30/60   48/60
 liv hct        92.4ug Z P<.0005 +  62.4ug .133mg  10/240   1/60    2/60    3/60    0/60    5/60    9/60   18/60   10/60   21/60
             20/60   23/60   27/60   28/60   28/60   47/60
 eso mix        94.9ug Z P<.0005 +  77.7ug .115mg   0/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    3/60   16/60   32/60   37/60   45/60
             48/60   41/60   49/60   46/60   47/60   46/60
 liv hpc        .136mg Z P<.0005 +  89.6ug .198mg   4/240   0/60    0/60    1/60    0/60    5/60    7/60   16/60    8/60   18/60
             20/60   21/60   27/60   28/60   28/60   47/60
 eso mal        .236mg Z P<.0005 +  .185mg .300mg   0/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    3/60   14/60   23/60   25/60
             30/60   20/60   25/60   21/60   25/60   20/60
 liv bdh        .372mg * P<.0005    .150mg 1.15mg   3/240   2/60    0/60    1/60    2/60    0/60    4/60    3/60    1/60    2/60
              2/60    2/60    1/60    0/60    0/60    0/60
 liv bdb        .419mg * P<.0005    .160mg 1.50mg   3/240   2/60    0/60    1/60    2/60    0/60    3/60    2/60    1/60    2/60
              2/60    2/60    1/60    0/60    0/60    0/60
 nsp mix        2.74mg * P<.0005    .967mg 9.63mg   0/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    2/60    1/60    1/60    1/60
              0/60    1/60    1/60    0/60    0/60    0/60
 liv bdm        5.87mg * P<.02      1.38mg n.s.s.   0/240   0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    1/60    1/60    0/60    0/60
              0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60    0/60
4515 R f f34 wat  7m30 1173m                         0    4.40ug  10.4ug  26.4ug  .119mg  .538mg    Lijinsky;canr,41,4997-5003;1981/
                                                                                                                          pers.comm.
 eso mix        25.5ug Z P<.0005 +  14.7ug 48.3ug   0/20    0/20    3/20   18/19  (13/20   10/12)
 liv hpc        no dre   P=1.    +  1.53mg n.s.s.   0/20    1/20    5/20    5/19    1/20    1/12
 ton bcc        no dre   P=1.    +  2.24mg n.s.s.   0/20    0/20    1/20    6/19    0/20    0/12
4516 R f f34 wat 14m30 1173n                         0    8.48ug  20.7ug
 liv mix        7.87ug \ P<.0005 +  3.92ug 20.0ug   1/20   14/20   (5/20)
 eso mix        20.7ug / P<.0005 +  11.7ug 40.8ug   0/20    2/20   17/20
4517 R f f34 wat 24m30 1173o                         0    14.8ug
 mix mix        13.1ug   P<.0005 +  6.70ug 29.5ug   0/20   14/20
 eso mix        15.0ug   P<.0005 +  7.61ug 34.8ug   0/20   13/20
 for bcp        54.9ug   P<.007  +  20.7ug .633mg   0/20    5/20
 liv mix        41.6ug   P<.02   +  16.4ug n.s.s.   1/20    7/20
4518 R f f34 wat 30w65 1561                          0    .132mg                                       Lijinsky;fctx,21,601-605;1983
 eso tum        21.9ug   P<.0005 +  11.2ug 47.7ug   0/20   16/20
 liv tum        no dre   P=1.       .127mg n.s.s.   1/20    1/20
 tba tum        no dre   P=1.       16.1ug n.s.s.  20/20   18/20
4519 R f fis wat 86w86 1041                          0    51.6ug                                          Nixon;jnci,53,453-458;1974
 liv hpt e      no dre   P=1.    -  .109mg n.s.s.   0/15    0/15
 tba mix e      no dre   P=1.    -  .109mg n.s.s.   3/15    0/15
4520 R m fis wat 86w86 1041                          0    46.0ug
 liv hpt e      no dre   P=1.    -  84.3ug n.s.s.   0/16    0/13
 tba tum e      no dre   P=1.    -  84.3ug n.s.s.   0/16    0/13
4521 R m sda wat 27m27 1303                          0    71.4ug                                           Habs;onco,37,259-265;1980
 mix tum        70.6ug   P<.0005 +  49.8ug .104mg   0/90   52/90
 liv tum        .119mg   P<.0005 +  79.4ug .190mg   0/90   36/90
 eso tum        .133mg   P<.0005 +  87.4ug .217mg   0/90   33/90
4522 R m sda wat 35m37 1838                          0    7.14ug  22.9ug  71.4ug             Berger;carc,8,1635-1643;1987/pers.comm.
 liv mix a      .270mg Z P<.0005 +  .183mg .422mg   3/500   2/80    3/80   36/80
 git mix a      .401mg * P<.0005 +  .241mg .807mg  26/500   9/80    7/80   25/80
 liv hpc a      .541mg Z P<.0005 +  .326mg .991mg   0/500   1/80    0/80   21/80
 eso pam a      .715mg Z P<.0005 +  .405mg 1.44mg   0/500   0/80    0/80   17/80
 liv hmm a      .719mg * P<.0005 +  .408mg 1.45mg   0/500   0/80    2/80   15/80
 eso sqc a      3.38mg * P<.002  +  1.13mg 26.3mg   1/500   0/80    0/80    4/80
 unt tum a      6.51mg * P<.3    +  1.32mg n.s.s.   1/500   2/80    1/80    1/80
 tba mal a      .188mg * P<.0005 +  .118mg .370mg 144/500  23/80   27/80   52/80
 tba ben a      no dre   P=1.       .368mg n.s.s. 362/500  58/80   54/80   53/80
4523 R f wio wat 60w63 1041                          0    .136mg                                          Nixon;jnci,53,453-458;1974
 liv hpt e      49.3ug   P<.0005 +  23.5ug .131mg   0/18   10/20
 tba mix e      53.7ug   P<.002     24.3ug .262mg   1/18   10/20
4524 R m wio wat 60w63 1041                          0    .104mg
 liv hpt e      .104mg   P<.02   +  35.9ug n.s.s.   0/17    4/18
 tba mix e      .104mg   P<.02      35.9ug n.s.s.   0/17    4/18
4525 R f wis gav 28m28 1399                          0    10.2ug                                          Kroes;fctx,12,671-679;1974
 mgl adc e      .127mg   P<.08   -  41.5ug n.s.s.   1/59    5/58
 liv hnd e      31.3mg   P<1.    -  98.7ug n.s.s.   1/59    1/58
 tba ben e      35.5ug   P<.08   -  13.6ug n.s.s.  18/59   27/58
 tba mal e      4.01mg   P<1.    -  47.3ug n.s.s.   7/59    7/58
4526 R m wis gav 28m28 1399                          0    7.14ug
 liv tum e      no dre   P=1.    -  78.4ug n.s.s.   0/39    0/40
 tba mal e      77.4ug   P<.4    -  18.1ug n.s.s.   4/39    7/40
 tba ben e      .257mg   P<.9    -  18.2ug n.s.s.   8/39    9/40
Mutagenicity in Salmonella: positive
SMILES Code for N-Nitrosodiethylamine: CCN(CC)N=O
InChI Code for N-Nitrosodiethylamine: InChI=1/C4H10N2O/c1-3-6(4-2)5-7/h3-4H2,1-2H3
Source for SMILES and InChI: USEPA Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) Database
Chemical Structure for N-Nitrosodiethylamine: Chemical Structure
Source for structure: National Library of Medicine ChemIDPlus

See full CPDB Summary Table on 1547 chemicals. See Full CPDB for all results on 6540 experiments of 1547 chemicals.

A complete list of CPDB chemicals, which is searchable by name or by CAS number, is available here.

For a compendium of CPDB results organized by target organ, which lists all chemicals in each species that induced tumors in each of 35 organs, see Summary Table by Target Organ.

The CPDB is available in several formats that permit printing and downloading into spreadsheets and statistical databases.

  1. A plot of the CPDB presents results of 1547 experiments on 6540 chemicals in an easily readable format that has been used in publications of the CPDB.
  2. A Screen version plot for use on a single computer screen, with the same data.
  3. Excel version of the same data.
  4. Tab-separated versions of the same data, which can be easily read into databases.

A Supplementary Dataset gives details on dosing and survival for each experiment.

Relatively precise estimates of the lower confidence limit on the TD10 (LTD10) are readily calculated from the TD50 and its lower confidence limit, which are reported in the CPDB. For researchers and regulatory agencies interested in LTD10 values, we provide them in an Excel spreadsheet.

PDF versions of our publications of analyses using the CPDB are available, organized by year and by research topic.

Carcinogenic Potency Database Project (CPDB) Home Page
For more information about this Web Page, contact slone.cpdb@gmail.com.
Last updated: October 3, 2007