Abstract

Deficiencies in the standard preclinical methods for evaluating potential anticancer drugs,such as xenograft mouse models, have been highlighted as a key obstacle in the translation of the major advances in basic cancer research into meaningful clinical benefits. In this article, we discuss the established uses and limitations of xenograft mouse models for cancer drug development, and then describe the opportunities and challenges in the application of novel genetically engineered mouse models that more faithfully mimic the genetic and biological evolution of human cancers. Greater use of such models in target validation, assessment of tumour response, investigation of pharmacodynamic markers of drug action, modelling resistance and understanding toxicity has the potential to markedly improve the success of cancer drug development.

Author affiliations

1. Departments of Medicine and Genetics, The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7295, USA.
   Email: nes@med.unc.edu
2. Center for Applied Cancer Science, Belfer Institute for Innovative Cancer Science, and Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Departments of Medicine and Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
   Email: ron_depinho@dfci.harvard.edu

Published online 18 August 2006

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.