Fig. 1

Flowchart of the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) process. a Generation process of PDX: (1) The patient’s primary tumor was collected and (2) cut into small pieces (3–4 mm), divided into several parts for subsequent (3) transplantation into the flanks of NOD/SCID (subcutaneously). (4) The growth of P1 generation PDX tumor was observed and recorded. (5) When the PDX tumor grew to 1500 mm³ in size, its growth time was recorded. The PDX tumor was obtained, and (6) was cut again to 3 mm in size (7) for the subsequent establishment of P2 to P4 generations PDX tumors. (8) Finally, PDX tumors of different generations were cut and frozen for sequencing or other experiments. b The growth time of different generations of PDX tumor (P1–P4). P1 (n = 44; range, 21–181 [mean = 65] days), P2 (n = 35; range, 8–47 [mean = 25] days), P3 (n = 13; range, 8–35 [mean = 18] days), and P4 (n = 3; range, 8–18 [mean = 13] days)