PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - MÓNICA OLIVEIRA
AU  - ELISABETE NASCIMENTO-GONÇALVES
AU  - JESSICA SILVA
AU  - PAULA A. OLIVEIRA
AU  - RITA FERREIRA
AU  - LUÍS ANTUNES
AU  - REGINA ARANTES-RODRIGUES
AU  - ANA I. FAUSTINO-ROCHA
TI  - Implementation of Humane Endpoints in a Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis Study in Rats
DP  - 2017 Nov 01
TA  - In Vivo
PG  - 1073--1080
VI  - 31
IP  - 6
4099  - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/31/6/1073.short
4100  - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/31/6/1073.full
SO  - In Vivo2017 Nov 01; 31
AB  - Background/Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the utility of several biological parameters for the prediction of tumor development and animal welfare in a rat model of urinary bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: The control group (n=9) received tap water while the test group (n=12) received the carcinogen N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) in drinking water. A score sheet with biological variables was used to monitor animals' welfare. Body weight, food and drink consumption and rectal temperature were measured weekly. Blood and urine samples were collected. Results: Animals from the control group exhibited a slightly higher body weight and body weight gain. The final urine volume was higher in BBN group (p<0.05). All animals from the BBN group exhibited macroscopic hematuria at 35th week. Four animals were anemic in the last week of the experiment. Conclusion: The routine control of hematuria was a useful non-invasive biomarker of disease progression that may be used as a potential earlier humane endpoint. Animals did not show clinical signs of suffering that justified their sacrifice before the end of the study.