Establishment and Comparison of Colon Cancer Liver Metastasis Models in Nude Mice

Abstract:Objective To develop a reliable colon cancer liver metastasis model in nude mice. Methods Thirty nude mice were divided into two groups randomly, which were the liver injection group and spleen injection group,respectively containing 15 nude mice. Colon cancer liver metastasis models were made by liver injection and spleen injection, respectively. The average survival time was recorded. The metastasis of nude mice was detected pathologically. Results Both of the incidence rates of liver metastasis in the two groups were 100%. Survival time of the two groups showed no statistics significance. Anatomical study showed that there appeared a single giant tumor nodule appeared at every injection site in the liver injection group while multiple metastasis appeared nodules in livers in the spleen injection group. The pathological results indicated that the tumor cells pattern of liver metastasis was similar in the two groups and was in accordance with poorly differentiated colon adenocarcinoma. Conclusion Intrasplenic injection of colon cancer cells, which closely mimic the natural metastatic process, is a reliable method for producing colon cancer liver metastasis in nude mice and should be proved valuable in experimental study.