title: Multi-stage chemical carcinogenesis in mouse skin: fundamentals and applications.
abstract: For more than 60 years, the chemical induction of tumors in mouse skin has been used to study mechanisms of epithelial carcinogenesis and evaluate modifying factors. In the traditional two-stage skin carcinogenesis model, the initiation phase is accomplished by the application of a sub-carcinogenic dose of a carcinogen. Subsequently, tumor development is elicited by repeated treatment with a tumor-promoting agent. The initiation protocol can be completed within 1-3 h depending on the number of mice used; whereas the promotion phase requires twice weekly treatments (1-2 h) and once weekly tumor palpation (1-2 h) for the duration of the study. Using the protocol described here, a highly reproducible papilloma burden is expected within 10-20 weeks with progression of a portion of the tumors to squamous cell carcinomas within 20-50 weeks. In contrast to complete skin carcinogenesis, the two-stage model allows for greater yield of premalignant lesions, as well as separation of the initiation and promotion phases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Science Park-Research Division, Smithville, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Erika L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.forename: Joe M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Angel
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiguchi
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DiGiovanni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D010212:Papilloma / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens