Experimental Model of Invasion and Lymph Node Metastasis by Orthotopic Transplantation of Human Oral Cancer Tissue into the Tongue of Nude Mouse

Abstract

Five oral squamous cell carcinomas, which have been maintained in the subcutaneous tissue of nude mouse, were transplanted orthotopically into the tongue of nude mouse. These tumors were transplanted successfully in 16 of 18 mice. In contrast to the expansive proliferation of the subcutaneously transplanted tumor, the tongue tumor showed invasive proliferation with no surrounding capsule. Lymph node metastasis was observed in six of 16 mice. These findings indicate that this experimental model is useful for studies of invasion and lymph node metastasis of oral cancer.