Characterization of oral squamous cell cancer in nude mice model

Most common type of head and neck malignant tumors is squamous cell carcinoma reaching 3% of all human cancers. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has tendency of increasing incidence and mortality worldwide with an overall 5 year survival rate of <60%. In order to explore this disease, different in vivo mouse models have been introduced. In this study we analyzed clinical and morphological characteristics of OSCC in vivo nude mouse model. 80% of mice which were injected with human oral squamous cancer cells developed orthotopic tumors with the mean volume of 146 mm(3), from which 62% exhibited metastatic spread. Morphology of the cancer tissue was characterized with invasive phenotype and inflammation. Proliferation activity rate of orthotopicly grown tumors were 55,7 ± 4,7 mitotic cells/optical field and displayed weakly developed vascular network. OSCC in vivo orthotopic nude mouse model can mimic pathological and clinical picture of the malignant disease and may be effectively used in oncology research.