A Novel Procedure for Orthotopic Tibia Implantation for Establishment of a More Clinical Osteosarcoma PDOX Mouse Model

Background/Aim: Osteosarcoma is a rare type of malignancy that affects mostly children and adolescents. A new procedure was designed to create an improved patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model of osteosarcoma that more closely mimics osteosarcoma in clinical settings. Previous osteosarcoma PDOX models involved implanting a tumor fragment near the femur of nude mice in a space created by separating muscle. Materials and Methods: A hole was created in the tibia of nude mice and an osteosarcoma tumor fragment was implanted directly into the bone. Results: This procedure resulted in tumor growth in the bone similar to osteosarcoma tumors found in clinical patients. Conclusion: The establishment ratio for this procedure is 80% making it a practical and clinically-relevant model for screening effective therapies for osteosarcoma patients.