Curative resection of orthotopically implanted pancreatic cancer in Syrian golden hamsters.
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.
Morioka
C Y
CY
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Saito
S
S
Kita
K
K
Watanabe
A
A
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