title: Creation of a murine orthotopic hepatoma model with intra-abdominal metastasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To create an orthotopic hepatoma model with local metastasis monitored with ultrasound could be created as a platform for testing new treatments.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Hepatoma accounts for 25% of liver tumors in children with poor overall survival. Intraabdominal metastasis are present in 35% of patients at time of diagnosis. We hypothesized that an orthotopic tumor model with local metastasis could be created as a platform for testing treatment modalities and could be monitored with ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  One million human hepatoma cells (Hep3B) were injected into the left lobe of the liver of immunocompromised mice. Tumor volume was monitored with high frequency-ultrasound until it reached 1,000mm(3). At that time animals were sacrificed and examined for gross metastatic disease. Tumor sections were analyzed with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumor formed in 8/15 mice. The tumor was detected as small as 19.59mm(3) on ultrasound. Of the forming tumors, tumor size was 145±177.93mm(3) at 60 days post-injection, 665±650.39mm(3) at 67 days, and reached >1000mm(3) by 76.6±9.9 days. At necropsy, four mice (50%) had tumor only within the liver, four (50%) had additional tumors in omentum, pelvis and peritoneum. H&E showed tumor within the normal liver parenchyma, with multiple mitotic figures, small areas of necrosis, and hemorrhage within the tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have successfully established an orthotopic hepatoma murine model, with a local metastatic rate of 50%. Non-invasive tumor monitoring is feasible via ultrasound.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center. 1653 W. Congress Parkway Jelke Suite 792, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, University of Illinois Chicago, 840 S. Wood St. Suite 130 CSN, Department of Pathology, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kajdacsy-Balla
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Illinois Chicago, 840 S. Wood Street, Department of Surgery (MC 958) Room 416, Clinical Sciences Building, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chiu
keywords: Hepatoma; Metastatic; Mouse; Orthotopic; Ultrasound