Table 1 Clinical signs associated with organ-/system-specific tumor development

From: OBSERVE: guidelines for the refinement of rodent cancer models

 

General signs

Specific signs

Refs.

Anorexia and BW lossa

Altered appearance and behavior

Pain: demonstrated

Pain: assumed

Icterus

Respiratory signs

Ascites

Anemia

GI signs

Neurological signs

Locomotor signs

Urinary signs

Cutaneous ulceration

GI tract

Oral cavity

x

x

x

          

128,129,130,131

Esophagus

x

x

 

x

         

132,133

Gastric

x

x

 

x

x

 

x

x

x

    

134,135,136,137

Pancreas

x

x

x

 

x

 

x

      

34,130,131,138,139

Colorectal

x

x

x

    

x

x

    

33,140,141,142

Liver + gallbladder

x

x

 

x

x

 

x

      

143,144,145,146

Urogenital system

Kidney (+ adrenal)

x

x

 

x

       

x

 

147

Bladder

x

x

x

        

x

 

148,149,150,151,152

Prostate

x

x

 

x

       

x

 

153,154,155,156

Uterus

x

x

 

x

  

x

x

   

x

 

157

Ovary

x

x

 

x

  

x

    

x

 

55,158,159

Cervix

x

x

 

x

       

X

 

160,161,162

Mammary

(x)

x

x

       

x

 

x

131

Nervous system

Brain tumors

x

x

 

x

     

x

   

79,163,164

Other CNS

x

 

x

      

x

x

  

130,131,165

Peripheral nerve

x

x

x

   

x

x

 

x

x

  

166

Soft tissue and bone

Soft tissue

Clinical signs of soft tissue tumors depend on the location, please refer to other organs to have an indication of adverse effects

 

Bone (+ multiple myeloma bone disease)

x

x

x

       

x

  

130,131,167,168

Respiratory tract

Upper respiratory tract: nose, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses

x

x

x

  

x

   

x

   

169,170

Lung

x

x

x

  

x

       

171,172,173

Hematopoetic and lymphoid

Lymphoma and myeloma

Signs of lymphoma/myeloma depend on the location, please refer to other organs to have an indication of adverse effects

Leukemia

x

x

 

x

 

x

x

x

x

x

   

29,174

Endocrine

Pituitary

x

x

 

x

     

x

   

175,176

Thyroid

x

x

 

x

 

x

       

177

Skin

 

(x)

(x)

          

x

178

SC tumors

 

(x)

(x)

          

x

25,179

Miscellaneous

Eye

  

x

           

GVHD in humanized miceb

x

x

     

x

x

    

180,181

  1. aNote that some models may also cause an increase in BW due to ascites, tumor mass, for example. bAlthough strictly not a tumor type, humanized mice are often used in cancer research and GVHD is accompanied by a series of typical signs.