Summary

The transplantation and growth of human tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice is frequently used in preclinical studies to test the efficacy of various anticancer agents. Subcutaneous models are most commonly used because of the simple methods of implanting tumor cells and monitoring tumor growth. A major criticism of subcutaneous models, however, is the unrealistic growing condition of the local skin environment. Alternatively, direct intravascular or intraorgan injections can be used to produce metastatic or orthotopic tumor models under more realistic and clinically applicable conditions. Despite the apparent widespread use of these models, detailed technical information on establishing these tumor models is difficult to find in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide the technical details for establishing useful tumor models in mice. I