Intracardiac injection as a metastatic model in lung cancer.

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, primarily due to the high rate of diagnoses at advanced stages when metastasis has already occurred. The metastatic process is complex, making its study challenging. Experimental models that replicate metastasis are crucial for understanding the underlying biological mechanisms. Among these, intracardiac injection in mice is a valuable method for studying metastasis, as it releases tumor cells directly into the systemic circulation, promoting the colonization of secondary organs like the brain, bones, liver, and adrenal glands. This model is particularly significant in lung cancer research, as it enables the evaluation of tumor cell's ability to survive in circulation, adapt to distant microenvironments and grow there. This chapter outlines the protocol for intracardiac tumor cell injection in mice, focusing on technical considerations providing an essential tool for studying metastatic lung cancer.