Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Ovarian/Gynecologic Tumors

Abstract

Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) have become the most promising preclinical model for gynecologic malignances, especially ovarian cancer. To generate PDX models of ovarian cancer, fresh human tumors have been injected into different sites in mouse models, including the intraovarian bursa, intraperitoneal cavity, subcutaneous tissue, gonadal fat pad, mammary fat pad, and subrenal capsule. The engraftment of first-generation ovarian cancer PDXs usually takes 2–6 months. Success rates for first-generation ovarian cancer PDXs range from 25% to 80%, depending on many factors, including the type of immunocompromised mice, tumor histotypes, and implant sites. The ovarian cancer PDXs have been shown to retain the morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genomic characteristics of original human tumors. Moreover, the predictive value of ovarian cancer PDXs has been proved by recent studies that showed concordance between chemoresponse in tumor xenografts and patients.