Preclinical cancer pain models

Abstract

This chapter describes animal models of cancer pain and the changes observed in these models based on our experience in studying pain and data from the literature. We provide examples of animal models of nonbone cancer pain, including skin, pancreatic, orofacial, and neuroma models. Many of the most common tumours, such as breast, prostate, kidney, thyroid, and lung cancer, undergo bone metastasis in animals; therefore, we also describe models of cancer pain that appear spontaneously and can be induced in bones. Moreover, we discuss models of neuropathic cancer pain, which is the most difficult for analgesia treatment in clinical settings and can be induced by both invasion and chemotherapy, and we collected data on immune factors important for cancer pain development in animal models. Furthermore, we also discuss the use of different behavioural methods to measure changes in the nociceptive threshold, which is diminished under cancer pain using electrical, mechanical, and thermal stimulation and the registration of motor disturbances.