Imagine a world where doctors can predict how a tumor will respond to treatment before a patient starts therapy. For decades, cancer researchers have relied on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a massive dataset of 20,000 samples across 33 cancer types, to decode the molecular secrets of tumors. But TCGA has a blind spot: it mostly studies untreated, primary tumors, leaving critical questions about advanced cancers and treatment responses unanswered. Enter the Champions Oncology TumorGraft® platform—a game-changer in cancer research. With 1,500 patient-derived tumor models from over 50 cancer types, TumorGraft® captures the real-world complexity of advanced, metastatic, and heavily treated tumors. By combining molecular data with detailed pretreatment histories and treatment response insights, it’s opening new doors for predicting drug effectiveness, uncovering resistance mechanisms, and designing smarter therapies. In this post, we’ll explore how TumorGraft® complements TCGA, using a fascinating case study on mutational signatures to show its power.
