Animal model of para-aortic lymph node metastasis.

The purpose of this study was to establish a model of experimental lymph node metastasis by intra-rectal implantation of human cancer cells in nude mice. Four types of human cancer cell lines (TE-1, MKN-45, HT-29, and MIAPaca-2) were investigated. Tumor cells suspended in Matrigel were injected into the submucosal layer of the rectum. All cancer cell lines produced locally aggressive rectal tumors and, subsequently, para-aortic lymph node metastasis. We were unable to produce other distant metastases in the dying state in such locations as the liver, spleen, lung, and peritoneum. However, using this method, we were able to evaluate the effect of the anti-cancer agent uracil/tegafur (UFT) on primary tumor growth and lymph node metastasis. Oral intake of UFT significantly suppressed implanted tumor volume and inhibited lymph node metastasis. We expect that the process of lymph node metastasis shown in this model will be studied as an experimental model of lymph node metastasis simulating human cancers.