ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular changes that lead to the disease is necessary to develop early diagnosis and optimal treatment modalities. Rodent models are rapid, reproducible and exhibit an adenoma-carcinoma sequence similar to that found in humans. The objective of this manuscript is to review the most common chemical carcinogens used to induce experimental tumors and the usual methods of evaluation.
Keywords:
Animal models; Colorectal neoplasms; Diagnosis