title: A modified rat model for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model which has a high analogy to clinical liver cancer is of great value in understanding the pathogenesis and evolution of liver cancer, in searching effective anti-cancer treatments (drug, hepatectomy and liver transplantation), and designing cancer prevention strategies. In this study we established a modified rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma to enhance rats' physique and surgical endurance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were fed with diethylnitrosamine (DENA) by three methods for evaluation of general conditions for 130 days: Doppler ultrasonographic measurement, laparotomy and histopathological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No rat died in control group (group A) and modified DENA-induction-HCC group(group C), but 6 deaths in classical DENA-induction-HCC group (group B) (survival rate 80%). All survived rats in groups B and C developed diffusive hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. General appearance of rats in the group C was better than that in the group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With good general conditions for surgery, the modified rat model for hepatocellular carcinoma has a high carcinogenic rate and a high survival rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: Fu-Chun
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shu-Sen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Tian-An
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007813:Laparotomy; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
chemical_list: D004052:Diethylnitrosamine