The Rat as Animal Model in Breast Cancer Research

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Breast Cancer - An Overview.- 1.2 Purpose of the Study.- 2 Animals and Experimental Methodology.- 2.1 Rationale for Choice of Rat Strains.- 2.2 Origin of the Rats.- 2.3 Selected Biological Characteristics of the Rats.- 2.3.1 Growth Curves.- 2.3.2 Breeding Data.- 2.3.3 Selected Immunogenetic Data.- 2.4 Husbandry Conditions.- 2.5 Irradiation.- 2.6 Hormone Administration.- 2.7 Castration.- 2.8 Clinical Examination.- 2.9 Necropsy Procedures.- 2.10 Statistical Evaluation.- 3 Effects of Irradiation and Hormone Administration on Mammary Tumor Incidence.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Experimental Data.- 3.3 Crude Mammary Tumor Incidence Results.- 3.4 Dose-Effect Relationships.- 3.5 Conclusions.- 4 Normal Anatomy and Pathology of the Rat Mammary Gland.- 4.1 The Normal Mammary Gland.- 4.1.1 Anatomic Considerations.- 4.1.2 Histological Structure.- 4.1.3 Development.- 4.2 Pathological Changes - A Classification.- 4.3 Nonneoplastic Lesions.- 4.4 Neoplastic Lesions.- 4.4.1 Benign Mammary Tumors.- 4.4.2 Malignant Mammary Tumors.- 4.5 Histogenesis and Interrelationships of Certain Mammary Gland Lesions.- 4.6 Discussion.- 4.6.1 Histological Types of Rat Mammary Neoplasms.- 4.6.2 "Malignancy" of the Rat Mammary Carcinoma.- 5 Correlation of Mammary Tumor Histology with Experimental Procedures.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Tumor Types and Treatment Relationships.- 5.3 Topographical Distribution of Mammary Tumors.- 5.4 Discussion.- 6 Lesions of the Pituitary Gland and Liver.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Pituitary Gland.- 6.2.1 Background Remarks.- 6.2.2 Morphological Aspects.- 6.2.3 Effect of Irradiation and/or Estrogen Administration on Pituitary Tumor Incidence.- 6.2.4 Interrelationships Between Pituitary Tumors, Plasma Prolactin Levels and Mammary Tumors.- 6.2.5 Discussion.- 6.3 Liver.- 6.3.1 Background Remarks.- 6.3.2 Morphological Aspects.- 6.3.3 Results.- 6.3.4 Discussion.- 7 General Discussion, Including a Brief Review of Animal Models in Breast Cancer Research.- 7.1