Melanoma patient-derived xenografts accurately model the disease and develop fast enough to guide treatment decisions.

ABSTRACT: The development of novel therapies against melanoma would benefit from individualized tumor models to ensure the rapid and accurate identification of biomarkers of therapy response. Previous studies have suggested that patient-derived xenografts (PDXes) could be useful. However, the utility of PDXes in guiding real-time treatment decisions has only been reported in anecdotal forms. Here tumor biopsies from patients with stage III and IV metastatic malignant melanoma were transplanted into immunocompromised mice to generate PDXes. 23/26 melanoma biopsies generated serially transplantable PDX models, and their histology, mutation status and expression profile resembled their corresponding patient biopsy. The potential treatment for one patient was revealed by an in vitro drug screen and trea

SUBMITTER: Einarsdottir BO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4259423 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature