An experimental study on local invasion and lymph node metastasis by transplantation of oral cancer cells and tissue to tongue of nude mouse

Three human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (HSC-2, 3 and 4), both in the form of single cell suspension and tissue, and seven cancer tissues obtained by operation (KOS-4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10) were transplanted to the tongue of nude mouse. A histologic study was conducted to examine local invasion and lymph node metastasis in this animal model, and the results were as follows 1) Each material was transplanted to the tongue of nude mouse with the success rate of 29% to 100%. 2) Histologic examination of the transplanted tumor revealed invasive proliferation in the tongue of nude mouse. There were no apparent differences between the histologic features of single cells and those of cancer tissue. 3) Mode of invasion of the transplanted KOS-4-10 tumor in the tongue of nude mouse was similar to that of the patient from whom the material was obtained. 4) Metastasis to the cervical lymph node was observed in animals to which HSC-2, HSC-3, HSC-4, KOS-5, KOS-7 and KOS-8 were transplanted. The metastasic rate was 13% to 80%. 5) These findings indicated that this experimental model was useful in animal studies of local invasion and lymph node metastasis of oral cancer.