Animal Models in Ocular Oncology

The last decade has observed significant progress in both basic and translational research, and in treatment options in the field of ocular oncology. Despite this, we are still seeking the ‘holy grail’ of effective therapeutics in disseminated ocular malignancies. We remain reliant on pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo models for testing drug efficacy. Today, a range of animal models are available for studying ocular tumors, including uveal melanoma, conjunctival melanoma, retinoblastoma and vitreoretinal lymphoma. These models can also be used to determine how the host responds to tumors immunologically or to find out how certain genes or cytokines contribute to tumor growth. Experts in the field of ocular oncology have contributed to this publication with a range of comprehensive reviews on the use of animal modeling for ocular tumors, including chick embryos, drosophila, zebrafish, mice, rats, rabbits and others. This volume will represent a useful background resource for researchers in the field.