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Flexible Colonoscopy in Mice to Evaluate the Severity of Colitis and Colorectal Tumors Using a Validated Endoscopic Scoring System
Published on: October 16, 2013
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Colonoscopy as a tool for evaluating colorectal tumor development in a mouse model.
Tomohiro Adachi1, Takao Hinoi, Yuu Sasaki
1Department of Surgery, Division of Frontier Medical Sciences, Programs for Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
International Journal of Colorectal Disease
|November 12, 2013
Summary
Colonoscopy accurately measures colorectal tumor location and size in a relevant mouse model. While missing some tumors, the technique aids understanding of colon cancer growth dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Gastroenterology
- Animal Models
Background:
- A sporadic colon cancer mouse model using conditional mutations in adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) is a relevant model for human colorectal cancer (CRC).
- Evaluating the utility and limitations of colonoscopy in this model is crucial for advancing CRC research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the accuracy and limitations of colonoscopy for evaluating colon tumors in a Cdx2-Cre driven Apc conditional mouse model.
- To establish a reliable in vivo method for measuring colorectal tumors in mouse models.
Main Methods:
- Compared colonoscopic tumor detection (location, size, miss rate) with necropsy findings in 66 CPC-Apc mice.
- Investigated the sensitivity and specificity of colonoscopy in this mouse CRC model.
Main Results:
- Strong positive correlation found between colonoscopy and necropsy for tumor location (p < 0.001).
- Strong positive correlation between colonoscopic tumor grade and necropsy-measured size (grades 2-5: 2.08-5.09 mm; p < 0.005).
- Colonoscopy had a 47.1% miss rate, with 96% of missed tumors near another detected tumor.
Conclusions:
- Established a reliable colonoscopic method for in vivo measurement of colorectal tumors in mice.
- This technique enhances understanding of tumor growth dynamics in colon carcinogenesis models.
