The 3D in vivo chorioallantoic membrane model and its role in breast cancer research

Purpose We aimed to evaluate the role of the chorioallantoic membrane model (CAM) in breast cancer research. Methods The following is an overview of the use of the CAM in the field of breast cancer research based on a PubMed literature query. Results The CAM is a 3D in vivo model that can be used for the analysis of tumor growth, biology and angiogenesis of primary tumor tissue or tumor cell lines. The CAM model has been used in breast cancer research for drug testing, migration assays and the evaluation of vascularization, amongst others. The CAM model is a valuable method that offers a better imitation of the physiological phenomena compared to 2D or 3D in vitro models. Conclusion The CAM model has primarily and successfully been utilized for the assessment of the tumor biology of established breast cancer cell lines. Further, the CAM model is a promising method to analyze patient derived primary tumor material and could be used as a "patient-specific 3D-tumor-therapy-model" for the cost-efficient evaluation of anti-cancer drugs to find the optimal treatment for breast cancer patients.