Mouse Drug Efficacy study - Cancer Injection (Apr/14/2009 )

Hello,

I was concerned about the location of injection of tumor cells in mice being used in a drug efficacy study.

I have read articles where it is done behind the neck, so hat the animal cannot scratch it off, but I also have seen studies with the tumors being injected in the flank region.

Could someone give be their take on the topic.

Thanks

Pmaj

pmaj on Apr 14 2009, 02:49 PM said:

Hello,

I've done many drug efficacy studies in human tumor xenograft models, mostly using PC-3 cells, but also various breast, liver, ovarian and lung cancer cell lines. We have always injected in the right flank and have never had any problems with the mice scratching, chewing, etc. the tumor. If the tumors ulcerate, then the mice tend to lick at them; but ulceration is a criterion for early removal/sacrifice of the animal. So this should never be a problem.

Also, there is a practical aspect of this location - I find the tumors much easier to visualize and measure with calipers when it is in the right flank. I restrain the mouse with my left hand using the typical "scruffing" behind the neck technique. This leaves the flank tumor free for measurements using my right hand. If the tumor is between the scapulae, then restraining the mice for measurement becomes problematic IMO.

Hope this helps,

Sam

I agree with Sam. we do it that way all the time and it's very easy to work with the mice with tumors on the right flank.