Charles River defines patient-derived tumor grafts as explants established as models at low passage numbers (average mean of 6 passes removed from patient). They have not been grown in plastic or propagated as cell cultures.
Establishing xenograft tumor models from patient-derived tumor tissue (PDTT) at low passage is believed to conserve original tumor characteristics such as heterogeneous histology, clinical biomolecular signature, malignant phenotypes and genotypes, tumor architecture and tumor vasculature. Based on this prevalent hypothesis, patient-derived tumor grafts are believed to offer relevant predictive insights into clinical outcomes when evaluating the efficacy of novel cancer therapies.
Our models were established by implanting tissue obtained from clinical centers in the US into mice. After a minimal number of passages through NOD SCID and nude mice, the models were banked and then profiled. Profiling includes:
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Efficacy studies using Standards of Care (SOC)
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Next-Gen Deep Sequencing of 200+ cancer-related genes
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RNA expression
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DNA copy number
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Protein analysis (total and phosphorylated protein profiling)