Functional testing using personalized PDX models may not currently be mainstream in precision oncology for several reasons. Developing orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (O-PDX) mouse models is labor-intensive, requires complex surgery, can be expensive, and often requires sophisticated imaging technology to monitor tumor growth.1
Additionally, major advancements in the understanding of the tumor microenvironment are recent phenomena. O-PDX models retain the principal histologic and genetic characteristics of their donor tumor and remain stable across passages.2 These models have also been shown to translate to the clinical setting.1
In combination with several molecular profiling techniques, the Mouse Avatar and Co-clinical Trial concepts have the potential to revolutionize drug development and the healthcare process.3
References: 1 Hidalgo M, Amant F, Biankin AV, Budinská E, Byrne AT, Caldas C, Clarke RB, de Jong S, Jonkers J, Mælandsmo GM, Roman-Roman S, Seoane J, Trusolino L, Villanueva A. Patient-Derived Xenograft Models: An Emerging Platform for Translational Cancer Research. Cancer Discov. 2014 Sep;4(9):998-1013. 2 Qiu W, Su GH. Development of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumor Mouse Models. Mol Biol. 2013; 980: 215-223. 3 Malaney, P., Nicosia, S. V., & Davé, V. (2014). One Mouse, One Patient Paradigm: New Avatars of Personalized Cancer Therapy. Cancer Letters, 344(1), 1–12.