Determination of optimal freezing parameters of human prostate cancer in a nude mouse model.
BACKGROUND
We sought to determine whether more than one freeze/thaw cycle is required and what minimum temperature reliably kills prostate cancer in vivo.


METHODS
Two human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP and PC3) were implanted subcutaneously in male nude BALB/c mice. Tumors were frozen with contemporary cryosurgery equipment and monitored for temperature, size, and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurements. The tumors were subjected to one or two freeze/thaw cycles through a wide range of temperatures from 0 - -80 degrees C.


RESULTS
These experiments show that a single freeze/thaw to a temperature < -40 degrees C is adequate to kill most tumor cells in this mouse model of prostate cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Freezing prostate cancer to < -40 degrees C and ensuring that the entire tumor is frozen is more important than additional freeze/thaw cycles in this experimental model.
Turk
T M
TM
Department of Urology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, USA. TTURK@LUC.EDU
Rees
M A
MA
Pietrow
P
P
Myers
C E
CE
Mills
S E
SE
Gillenwater
J Y
JY
D000818:Animals; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012007:Rectum; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014463:Ultrasonography