The aims of the present project are:
* to generate new experimental models from biopsies of ovarian cancer patients whose tumors are either refractory to platinum-based therapy or have relapsed during or after treatment with platinum and PARPi;
* molecularly, and pharmacologically characterize these models, including patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) grown in immunodeficient animals, organoids (3D in vitro models) and primary cell cultures (2D) derived from the same biopsies;
* to use these models to identify new biomarkers of therapy response, study resistance mechanisms, and design preclinical trials for new therapeutic strategies; The study involves transplanting fresh tumor tissue into immunodeficient mice to create PDX models, as well as generating organoids and cell cultures. It will run for 10 years and include adult female patients (aged 18 or older) with recurrent ovarian cancer treated at the European Institute of Oncology, who have given informed consent. Clinical and pathological data will be collected at enrollment and during follow-up and stored in a coded database.
