title: Curative resection of orthotopically implanted pancreatic cancer in Syrian golden hamsters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Homologous orthotopic implantation models of pancreatic ductal cancer in Syrian golden hamsters can mimic the clinical features of the disease in humans. However, there have been no studies attempting a surgical approach to this animal model. Our aim was to clarify the possibility of curative resection in these tumor-bearing animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nitrosamine-induced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell line, HaP-T1, was used for the experiments. Hamsters underwent two surgeries: first, the cells or the tissue previously grown subcutaneously were implanted into the pancreas, and second, pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed within the following 4 wk after implantation. Animals were examined until death, when necropsies were performed. Surgically resected and necropsied specimens were studied histopathologically and at the molecular level by detection of K-ras point mutation at codon 12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the second surgery, the success of implantation was 100%, and the curative resection rate was 75%. After observation for 400 d, 5 of 12 hamsters, which underwent second surgery within 15 d, were still alive. They were sacrificed and were found to be tumor-free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Orthotopic homologous implantation model of hamster pancreatic cancer combined with surgical resection may be useful for further research of adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D011905:Genes, ras; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017354:Point Mutation