賓夕法尼亞州大學(Penn; Philadelphia, PA, USA)最近被選為美國國立癌癥研究院人類癌癥小鼠模型聯盟(MMHCC; Frederick, MD, USA)的成員之一。

做為聯盟成員之一，賓州大學科學家團隊的戰略是開發確定乳腺腫瘤進展與轉移過程的理論與技術途徑和手段。為了達到這個目標，他們最大程度地使用最新分子與細胞成像技術來評估一系列新型基因工程小鼠乳腺癌模型。“這種嘗試需要具有廣泛知識和專業的科學家群體，這次地資助將幫助我們招募組織這些科學家。”Lewis A. Chodosh醫生說，他是賓州大學Dr. Chodosh中心Abramson癌癥中心癌癥生物學系地副主任。

賓州大學MMHCC小組將專門使用各種高新技術包括核磁共振掃描、正電子發射斷層掃描、單光子發射計算機斷層掃描、核磁共振光譜以及超聲波將活體動物體內的腫瘤細胞進行可視化并進行追蹤，從腫瘤發生、發展到遠距離轉移一直到復發。

這種技術將被用于評估腫瘤對治療地反應以及預測臨床轉歸。這項研究計劃中使用的小鼠模型是十分獨特的，因為研究人員能夠跟蹤每一個動物的完整病史，從最初發病到對治療的反應、腫瘤的靜止期以及最終的轉移與復發。

腫瘤發展的晚期，表現為對治療藥物的抵抗、轉移以及腫瘤復發，導致了大多數的癌癥死亡。但是無論腫瘤如何進展，都會產生令人無法相信的具有臨床意義的難題，潛在的過程仍然不是十分清楚。為了更多地了解癌癥機制的生理和分子機制，是癌癥研究的重要前提。
 
Research Initiative to Improve Cancer Diagnosis, Therapy
 
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn; Philadelphia, PA, USA) has recently been chosen to become a member of the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium (MMHCC; Frederick, MD, USA).

As a member of the Consortium, the Penn team of scientists’ strategy is to develop conceptual and technical approaches for determining the processes of breast tumor progression and metastasis. To achieve this goal, they will utilize a wide range of state-of-the-art molecular and cellular imaging methods to assess a series of novel, genetically engineered mouse models of breast cancer. “This type of endeavor requires a group of scientists with a tremendous breadth of knowledge and expertise, which this grant has allowed us to assemble,” stated Lewis A. Chodosh, M.D., Ph.D., vice chair, department of cancer biology, at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn. Dr. Chodosh.

The Penn MMHCC team will specifically use a wide-ranging array of advanced technologies including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and ultrasound to visualize and track tumor cells in living animals from their origins to their gradual progression to distant metastasis and recurrence.

The technology will also be utilized to evaluate tumor response to therapy and to predict clinical outcomes. The mouse models to be used in this project are distinctive in that the investigators can follow the complete natural history in each animal--from the initial onset to response to therapy, tumor dormancy, and ultimately, metastasis and recurrence.

Advanced stages of tumor progression, typified by resistance to therapeutic drugs, metastasis, and tumor recurrence, are responsible for most of cancer deaths. Whereas tumor progression, however, comprises a problem of incredible clinical significance, the underlying processes are basically unknown. Understanding more about the physiologic and molecular events that add to this mechanism is a crucial priority in cancer research.