Mini-cancers Utilization as Decision Tools for Personalized Cancer Drug Regimens

The present invention includes methods for identifying chemotherapy treatments specifically suited for each cancer patient. The methods include obtaining a biopsy from the cancer patient; establishing a cancer culture from the biopsy; mixing the cancer culture with a matrix forming mini cancers.  The mini cancers are then used to screen chemotherapy agents by identifying those agents that completely stop mini cancer growth, inhibit mini cancer growth, and/or  inhibit invasion of the mini cancers in a surrounding extracellular matrix. Since the mini cancers are derived from the patient, only the most effective chemotherapy agent(s) will be chosen to  treat the cancer patient; minimizing the length of chemotherapy treatment, the cost of such treatments, and patient related illness. 

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