Progress towards non-small-cell lung cancer models that represent clinical evolutionary trajectories

• Main Authors: Robert E. Hynds, Kristopher K. Frese, David R. Pearce, Eva Grönroos, Caroline Dive, Charles Swanton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society 2021-01-01
• Series: Open Biology
• Subjects: cell lines; organoids; patient-derived xenografts; genetically engineered mouse models; cancer evolution; model systems
• Online Access: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsob.200247

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although advances are being made towards earlier detection and the development of impactful targeted therapies and immunotherapies, the 5-year survival of patients with advanced disease is still below 20%. Effective cancer research relies on pre-clinical model systems that accurately reflect the evolutionary course of disease progression and mimic patient responses to therapy. Here, we review pre-clinical models, including genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived materials, such as cell lines, primary cell cultures, explant cultures and xenografts, that are currently being used to interrogate NSCLC evolution from pre-invasive disease through locally invasive cancer to the metastatic colonization of distant organ sites.