Animal Models of Transplantable Bladder Cancer: A Review

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. At present, numerous treatments of BC are available, but the response to treatment varies from patient to patient. Hence, there is a need to re-explore the mechanisms and biology of BC development and develop robust and effective therapies against BC. Animal models are the powerful tools which have been and are still used in studies that link the knowledge gap between fundamental and clinical research. Animal models of transplantable BC is the most frequently used animal models that are established by transplanting BC cell lines or BC tissues into the animal to form a tumor. Recapitulation of human cancer condition in these animal models enables the scientists to further explore BC development, progression, and metastasis. In addition, the use of animal models of transplantable BC facilitates the identification of drug targets that are the primary part of an attempt to reverse therapeutic resistance and improve clinical outcomes. Overall, animal models present themselves as critical tools which help address the complex issues in BC research. This review summarizes the classification of animal models of transplantable BC, discusses advanced methods of establishing and monitoring tumor models, and compares the advantages and disadvantages of each establishment method.