PATIENT-DERIVED XENOGRAFTS AS A PRECLINICAL MODEL FOR BONE SARCOMAS

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to reproduce a mouse model of bone sarcomas for use in cancer research. METHODS: A fresh sample of the tumor tissue was implanted subcutaneously into nude mice. When the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) reached a volume of 1500 mm(3), it was harvested for re-implantation into additional mice. Histology was used to compare the morphological characteristics of different generations of sarcoma xenografts with the primary tumor. RESULTS: Sixteen sarcoma tissue samples were engrafted into nude mice. Nine patients were diagnosed with osteosarcoma, two with chondrosarcoma, two with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, one with synovial sarcoma, one with pleomorphic sarcoma, and one with Ewing’s sarcoma. PDX tumors were generated in 11 of the 16 implanted specimens (69% success rate in P1). Six P1 tumors grew sufficiently for transfer into additional mice, producing the P2 generation, and three P2 tumors established the P3 generation. CONCLUSION: PDX tumors generated from bone sarcomas were successfully established in immunodeficient mice and reproduced the characteristics of the primary tumor with a high degree of fidelity. The preclinical PDX model described herein may represent an important tool for translational oncology research and for evaluating therapeutic strategies for bone sarcomas. Level of Evidence I; Experimental study.