Spontaneous adenocarcinoma mouse models for immunotherapy

Recent discoveries regarding the identification of tumor-associated antigen s and antigen presentation have made successful immunotherapy strategies po ssible with little, if any, toxicity. Here, we describe transgenic mammary, pancreas, prostate, stomach and lung adenocarcinoma animal models that can be used to study various immunotherapeutic strategies. The challenge in de veloping a tumor vaccine is effective antigen presentation that elicits ant i-tumor immune responses without precipitating autoimmunity. Clinical trial s must be preceded by appropriate animal studies to demonstrate that the co ncepts can be translated into efficacious therapy for cancer. Although many xenograph or transplantable tumor models have been used, the most effectiv e studies are in spontaneous tumor models. These models are clinically rele vant, as tumors arise in an appropriate tissue background and in a host con ditioned by the physiological events of neoplastic progression and tumorige nesis and in the context of a viable immune system.