University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus

1 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Cancer Research

Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment

Ayman J. Oweida¹, Shilpa Bhatia¹, Benjamin Van Court¹, Laurel Darragh¹, Natalie Serkova^1,2,3, Sana D. Karam¹

¹Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus, ²Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus, ³Division of Radiology, University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus

Here we present a reproducible method for developing an orthotopic murine model of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Tumors demonstrate clinically relevant histopathological features of the disease, including necrosis, poor differentiation, nodal metastases, and immune infiltration. Tumor-bearing mice develop clinically relevant symptoms including dysphagia, jaw displacement, and weight loss.