title: Human cervical carcinoma xenograft models for studies of the physiological microenvironment of tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish and characterize experimental tumor models of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
  
  
  METHODS
  Permanent cell lines (CK-160 and TS-415) were established from pelvic lymph node metastases of two cervical carcinoma patients. Xenografted tumors were initiated by inoculating 5 x 10(5) cells into the gastrocnemius muscle of BALB/c nu/nu mice. The tumors were characterized with respect to histological appearance, fraction of necrotic tissue (NF), pimonidazole hypoxic fraction (HF(Pim)), interstitial fluid pressure (IFP), extracellular pH (pH(e)), metastatic propensity, and radiation sensitivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The xenografted tumors reflected the donor patients' tumors in histological appearance, metastatic propensity, and radiation sensitivity and showed significant intertumor heterogeneity in growth rate, NF, HF(Pim), IFP, and pH(e).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CK-160 and TS-415 xenografts possess properties making them relevant models for studies of the physiological microenvironment of cervical carcinoma and its influence on metastatic dissemination and response to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Group of Radiation Biology and Tumor Physiology, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Ullernchausséen 70, 0310 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ellingsen
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Natvig
authors.forename: Jon-Vidar
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Gaustad
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gulliksrud
authors.forename: Tormod A M
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Egeland
authors.forename: Einar K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Rofstad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014965:X-Rays