In situ analysis of breast cancer progression in murine models using a macroscopic fluorescence imaging system.

The goal of this study was to use an inexpensive macroscopic imaging system to monitor tumor progression in mouse models in real-time with minimal intervention. Illumination is provided via a xenon arc lamp and a fiber optic probe which delivers white light or quasi-monochromatic excitation via specific bandpass filters. Fluorescence emission from SCID and nude mice following mammary fat pad injection of red fluorescence protein (RFP)-expressing human breast cancer cell lines was recorded and quantified using a single lens reflex (SLR) digital camera. This simple system enabled the verification of successful tumor take and temporal quantification of tumor progression in mouse models. The macroscopic fluorescence imaging system represents an inexpensive and portable tool to facilitate non-invasive in situ cancer detection with the potential to monitor fluorescent tumor formation and investigation of the efficacy of potential cancer therapeutics.