Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are mouse avatars. When transplanted from a human patient with cancer into a mouse, tumors retain the characteristics of the original specimen. PDX models allow researchers to test multiple drugs and drug combinations, to find the one best suited to individual patients.
California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute is leading an innovative program to further Sutter Health's cancer precision medicine research in Northern California through the Cancer Avatar Project—a living biology approach to translational research for fully individualized cancer care. Our cancer scientists are working with CPMC oncologists and surgeons to create cell culture and mouse models, or ‘avatars’, of patients’ tumors, which will give oncologists key information about how well a patient’s tumor might respond to a particular chemotherapy regimen. The Cancer Avatar Project has the potential to enable the delivery of truly personalized cancer care.
Our goal is to collect over 100 samples for each of eight common cancers (brain, colorectal, lung, melanoma, ovarian, pancreas, breast, and liver/biliary). Developing this comprehensive library will enable rapid prediction of the most effective treatment for CPMC cancer patients.