Generation of orthotopic patient-derived xenograft models for pancreatic cancer using tumor slices

Orthotopic patient-derived xenograft models recapitulate the genomic com-plexity of the original tumor and some aspects of local microenvironment, useful for rapid development and validation of personalized treatment strategies. Here, we precisely describe a protocol for generating tumor slices from human or murine-derived pancreatic cancer. They are then implanted directly into the murine pancreas, monitored using ultrasound, with a 90% success rate. This assay creates a clinically relevant in vivo model facilitating personalized treat-ment development.