Background: Appropriate animal models are required to test novel therapeutics for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) such as near-infrared (NIR) imaging-guided surgery.
Methods: We developed an optimized animal model of orthotopic HNSCC (in female athymic NMRI (Naval Medical Research Institute) nude mice) with a prolonged survival time. Resection of the orthotopic tumors was performed 30 days after implantation with or without the aid of a miniaturized clinical grade NIR optical imaging device, after systemic administration of a fluorescent RGD-based probe that targets αv β3 integrin.
Results: NIR optical imaging-guided surgery increased the recurrence-free survival rate by 50% through the detection of fluorescent cancer residues as small as 185 µm; these fragments could remain unidentified if resection was performed exclusively under unaided visual guidance.
Conclusion: NIR optical imaging-guided surgery showed an improved HNSCC tumor resection quality in our optimized orthotopic animal model. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E246-E255, 2016.
Keywords: head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; near-infrared optical imaging-guided surgery; orthotopic animal model; surgical margins; αvβ3 integrin.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.