Patients derived xenograft (PDX) reflects molecular and cellular characteristics of the donor tumor and is an important model in the study of cancer biology. PDX models also have been developed to apply more personalized strategy against cancer, such as evaluation of drug efficacy and biomarker validation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognosis of donor patients according to the characteristics of PDX tumor in gynecological cancer.
Cancer tissues from gynecological cancer patients (ovary, cervix and uterine cancer; total 107 cases) were fragmentized to 3 mm pieces and transplanted into athymic nude mice. The volume of each PDX tumor were measured using a digital caliper for up to 1 year and 4 months after transplantation [(Short x Short x Long) / 2 = vol. (mm3)]. The largest PDX tumor in each patient’s cases were selected, thereafter, engraftment and growth rate were calculated in PDX tumor (Success of implantation is a confirmed growth-up in PDX tumors; Growth rate is slope value of growth equation per PDX). Donor patient’s prognosis were evaluated by survival rate calculated using survival significance methods, applied with the previously reported cut-off value (Finder et al, PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51862.).
Engraftment results showed that implantation succeeded PDX tumor cases had a tendency of poor prognosis than failed cases in 5 year disease free survival, (Log rank p = 0.2446, HR 3.246, 95% CI = 0.6876 to 15.33). As for the growth of PDX tumors, fast growing cases showed a tendency of poor prognosis in 5year disease free survival (Log rank p = 0.1562, HR = 2.982, 95% CI = 0.4712 to 18.87) and showed a significant poor prognosis in 5year overall survival (Log rank p = 0.0374) than slow growing PDX tumors.
This study reveals concordance of aggressive cancer biology, with fast growing in PDX tumors and poor prognosis of the donor patient. These findings may be an important resource for studying cancer biology and supporting PDX model for developing personalized strategy against cancer.
Key words: Patients derived xenograft (PDX); Gynecological cancer; Prognosis;