New research from Michigan State University has mapped, in detail, how mice can be used to study cancer in humans.
Researchers compared thousands of breast cancer samples from humans and mice, looking for similarities.
Eran Andrechek is an author on the study. He said by studying thousands of samples researchers were able to find which mouse model was closest to which human cancer type.
“Our study has allowed us to say ‘okay we have all these different tumors which were created by the same thing but only this subset is reflective of human breast cancer.”’
Andrechek said the research will be important for future research.
“If somebody was to follow our methods what it would allow them to do is say “I’m interested in this kind of breast cancer and I can identify using this method the kind of mouse model that would really nicely reflect that type of human breast cancer.”
Andrechek said researchers have essentially created a map of human cancers and their closest mouse models.
He said the research began with breast cancer but found similarities in lung and oral cancer as well.
Andrechek said the hope is this research will allow researchers to find specific treatments to specific types of cancer.