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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Modeling Spontaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC) in Mice Following Nephrectomy
Published on: April 29, 2014
Animal models of renal cell carcinoma
1Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH.
Abstract:
Animal models are extremely valuable in studying disease processes and evaluating new therapeutic modalities. RCC in men is resistant to any type of chemo- or hormonal therapeutic regimens. Developing appropriate models is therefore important to test new therapeutic modalities or to understand basic mechanisms of this malignancy. From our review renal cell tumors appear spontaneously with a certain frequency in humans, rats, mice, and hamsters, but are extremely rare in rabbits and have not been described in guinea pigs. Some tumors have been used as renal carcinoma models, such as the VX-2 in the rabbit or a mouse tumor described by Myers, which on further evaluation do not represent true RCC. The tumors described here are either chemically induced or spontaneous tumors in a variety of species and will serve investigators as a valuable resource regarding the origin and the biologic characteristics to be applied to specific experiments.
Insights
Developing new animal models is crucial for studying renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and testing treatments, as current models are inadequate. This review identifies suitable spontaneous and induced tumors in various species for RCC research.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Comparative Pathology
- Translational Medicine
Background:
- Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in humans is largely resistant to conventional therapies.
- Effective animal models are essential for advancing RCC research and therapeutic development.
- Existing models, like VX-2 in rabbits, do not accurately represent true RCC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and identify suitable animal models for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) research.
- To provide a resource for investigators seeking appropriate models for studying RCC origin and biology.
- To highlight the limitations of current RCC models and the need for better alternatives.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of spontaneous and induced renal tumors across various species.
- Evaluation of existing animal models for their accuracy in representing human RCC.
- Analysis of tumor origin and biological characteristics relevant to RCC.
Main Results:
- Renal tumors occur spontaneously in humans, rats, mice, and hamsters.
- Renal tumors are rare in rabbits and have not been reported in guinea pigs.
- Chemically induced or spontaneous tumors in various species are proposed as valuable RCC models.
Conclusions:
- Accurate animal models are critical for understanding RCC and developing effective treatments.
- This review identifies promising spontaneous and induced tumors in diverse species for RCC research.
- Investigating these models will aid in understanding RCC's origin and biological characteristics.
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