Poster Presentation 32nd Lorne Cancer 2020

AXMAP – the Australian pdX MelanomA Project  (#137)

Jen G. Cheung 1 2 , Helen Rizos 3 4 , Helmut Schaider 5 , Michael Brown 6 , Nick Hayward 4 7 , Georgina Long 4 8 , Richard A. Scolyer 4 8 9 , Graham Mann 4 8 10 , Mark Shackleton 1 2
  1. Department of Oncology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  3. Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  4. Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  5. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  6. Centre for Cancer Biology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  7. QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  8. The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  9. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  10. The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

The lack of adequate models that recapitulate human disease is a major obstacle for translating advances in cancer research into the clinic. Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) are pre-clinical in vivo models that are well-recognised for their ability to recapitulate clinical behaviour and therapeutic responses of primary tumours, while preserving tumour heterogeneity.

Despite the advantages of PDXs over traditional cancer cell lines (CCLs), cell line-derived xenografts (CDXs) and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), extensive use of PDX models is often discouraged by the lack of appropriate technical expertise, logistical challenges in obtaining fresh patient tumour tissues, and costs that are mainly associated with mouse housing and labour.

With support from the National Melanoma March campaign, we have established a national program, The Australian pdX Melanoma Project (AXMAP), to generate a repository of PDX melanomas that represent the spectrum of disease subtypes and genotypes, which will be accessible to cancer researchers without charge. Training programs on tissue processing, animal handling and specialised techniques are offered on request to empower Australian laboratories in generating PDX models. 

Our PDX melanoma resource is currently comprised of 27 clinically annotated and molecularly profiled melanoma lines, spanning cutaneous disease subtypes, uveal and mucosal melanomas. Data describing this cohort will be presented.