Animal Models of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

The investigation of human diseases has always been made easier through the use of animal model systems. Studies of the induction, progression, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) have benefited from the development of numerous rodent models of the disease. In order to be beneficial for the study of human PCa, an animal model should possess as many characteristics of the human disease as possible. These should include the same histopathology, although the variability in grade defined by the Gleason system1 would be difficult to obtain in a single animal model. They should also be responsive to androgenic hormones and display populations of cancer cells that are dependent on androgens for growth as well as those that grow independent of the hormone. Castration of the animal should induce a dramatic decrease in tumour size followed by growth of the androgen-independent cells. Human PCa spreads to distant organs, particularly the draining lymph nodes and bone, although other organs may be affected in late stage disease. Therefore the pattern of metastasis should reflect the pattern observed in the human disease as closely as possible. Finally, an ideal model of human PCa should possess a marker such as PSA that is secreted by human tumour cells. Models currently in use for