Untersuchungen zum Lymphabfluss und zur lymphogenen Metastasierung von im Bereich der Ohrmuschel bei weißen Neuseelandkaninchen induzierten VX2-Karzinomen

The aim of this study was to examine, if the auricular VX2 carcinoma in New Zealand white rabbits can serve as an animal model for human squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region (HNSCC). First, it was necessary to perform detailled anatomical and lymphographical investigations of the cervico-facial lymph nodes and the draining lymphatic system of the head and neck region of the rabbits. Subsequently, VX2 carcinoma were implanted in the rabbit's auricles to examine the pattern of lymphogenic metastatic spread. The VX2 carcinoma originally derived from the shope-virus-induced papilloma of the rabbit's skin. It developed to a highly-malignant, anaplastic carcinoma, characterized by lymphatic metastatic spread. In this study on day 21 after tumor implantation 5/8 animals had metastases in the parotid lymph node, which is the first draining lymph node of the tumor region. This number rose to 7/8 after 28 days and to 8/8 by day 32. Some animals, sacrified after 28 days or later, also showed an additional metastasis in the second echelon node. In summary, it could be demonstrated, that the auricular VX2 cacinoma of the New Zealand white rabbit offers a suitable animal model for human HNSCC since they resemble in their growth behavior, it tends, as is true for the human HNSCC, to metastasize reproducible lymphatically and since the rabbit's neck has a similar lymph node topography compared to humans.