An animal model for the study of prostate carcinoma.

We report here the development of the Dunning R-3327 prostate adenocarcinoma of the Copenhagen rat as a suitable model of human prostate cancer. Tumors, produced by sc or intraprostate injection of viable cells, had the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the human disease. The histologic picture of these tumors was of a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma with the formation of glands and acid secretions within the acini. The intraprostate tumor, although initially confined to the injected lobe, grew to involve the surrounding tissues and eventually metastasized to the lymph nodes and lungs. Occasional metastatic lesions were found in other organs as well. During investigation of the tumor, a fast-growing line arose that grew equally well in females as in males. The histology of this tumor was of an undifferentiated anaplastic tumor. A tissue culture line derived from R-3327 was capable of producing tumors in recipient rats with characteristics similar to the original Dunning tumor.