How does a rat die from cancer? - briefly
Advanced malignant tumors infiltrate essential organs, disrupt metabolic balance, and trigger severe cachexia, culminating in multi‑organ failure. Common lethal events include respiratory collapse from pulmonary metastases and intestinal blockage from abdominal growths.
How does a rat die from cancer? - in detail
A malignant tumor in a laboratory rat initiates a cascade of physiological disruptions that ultimately culminate in death.
The primary mechanisms include:
- Organ failure – Growth of the neoplasm within a vital organ (e.g., liver, lung, brain) replaces functional tissue, impairing metabolism, respiration, or neural control.
- Cachexia – Tumor‑derived cytokines (TNF‑α, IL‑6) trigger severe weight loss, muscle wasting, and loss of appetite, reducing the animal’s ability to maintain homeostasis.
- Metastasis – Dissemination of cancer cells to secondary sites creates additional lesions that compromise multiple organ systems simultaneously.
- Paraneoplastic syndromes – Hormone‑like substances secreted by the tumor cause electrolyte imbalances, hypercalcemia, or coagulopathies, leading to cardiac arrhythmias or hemorrhage.
- Obstruction – Mass effect in the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts blocks passage of contents, resulting in perforation, infection, or renal failure.
These processes interact with the rat’s innate immune response. Chronic inflammation further damages tissues, while immunosuppression caused by the tumor reduces the ability to combat opportunistic infections.
Ultimately, the convergence of organ dysfunction, metabolic collapse, and systemic toxicity overwhelms compensatory mechanisms, resulting in irreversible physiological decline and death.