[Establishment and characterization of an orthotopic murine model of mucosal malignant melanoma of the maxillary sinus].

Objective: To establish a stable and reliable orthotopic murine model of mucosal malignant melanoma of the maxillary sinus so as to provide animal models for further studying for pathogenesis and therapy of sinonasal malignancy. Method: B16 were implanted in the right maxillary sinus of male nude mice. After tumors appeared in right maxillary sinus, tumor growth and survival rate were recorded. The degree of tumor infiltration was observed through the MRI. Result: Mice with B16 implanted in right maxillary sinus developed primary tumors. The survival and the tumor volume were related to the number of tumor cells implanted. We found that the tumor can invade into nasal cavity, orbital cavity and the basilar region using MRI. Conclusion: We successfully established a model for mucosal malignant melanoma of the maxillary sinus. This model offers an experimental tool for further research on biological characteristics of sinonasal malignancy and the development of new therapy.