Background/aims: Lack of appropriate tumor models that reliably predict response to anticancer agents remains a major deficiency in the clinical practice of personalized cancer therapy. The aim of our study was to establish a patient-derived tumor tissue (PDTT) xenograft model of gastric carcinoma for personalized cancer therapeutic regimen selection and testing of novel molecularly targeted agents.
Methodology: Patient-derived tumor tissue of primary gastric carcinoma was used to create the xenograft model. After 11 weeks, xenografts were harvested for serial transplantation. H&E staining, immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting were used to determine biological stability of the xenograft during serial transplantation compared with the original tumor tissue. Drug sensitivities of the xenograft to bevacizumab (Avastin), FP3 and cetuximab were evaluated.