Pathophysiological changes in mice during progression of Ehrlich ascites tumour

Abstract

Laboratory animals used in cancer research as untreated controls may experience pain and distress. Keeping in view the animal welfare considerations, it has become necessary to find out the scientific and humane end points for an experiment. satislying the seientifie objective with a minimum harm to the experimental animals. Ehrlich ascitics carcinoma (EAC) was used to induce ascites tumour in mice by injecting intraperitoneally and upon progression of the tumour inside the abdominal cavity, considerable physiological and biochemical axntions on various systems of the body could be observed. Significant (P<0.05) decreases in the organ weight of visceral organs, such as liver. kidneys and Splecil and their 1unctions were noticed. The tumour burden also resulted in an increased live body weight gain due to abdominal distension which caused a great deal of discom1brt and respiratory distress to mice beyond 12th day of tumour induction. Thus, it is advisable to fix the scientific and humane endpoints as 9-12 clays after EAC induction in mice which are categorised as untreated controls.