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Author Spotlight: Developing Multiplexed Kinetic Assays for Organoid-Based Drug Response Analysis
Published on: January 5, 2024
Patient-derived organoid models help define personalized management of gastrointestinal cancer
M R Aberle1,2,3, R A Burkhart4, H Tiriac5,6
1NUTRIM school of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Background:
The prognosis of patients with different gastrointestinal cancers varies widely. Despite advances in treatment strategies, such as extensive resections and the addition of new drugs to chemotherapy regimens, conventional treatment strategies have failed to improve survival for many tumours. Although promising, the clinical application of molecularly guided personalized treatment has proven to be challenging. This narrative review focuses on the personalization of cancer therapy using patient-derived three-dimensional 'organoid' models.
Methods:
A PubMed search was conducted to identify relevant articles. An overview of the literature and published protocols is presented, and the implications of these models for patients with cancer, surgeons and oncologists are explained.
Results:
Organoid culture methods have been established for healthy and diseased tissues from oesophagus, stomach, intestine, pancreas, bile duct and liver. Because organoids can be generated with high efficiency and speed from fine-needle aspirations, biopsies or resection specimens, they can serve as a personal cancer model. Personalized treatment could become a more standard practice by using these cell cultures for extensive molecular diagnosis and drug screening. Drug sensitivity assays can give a clinically actionable sensitivity profile of a patient's tumour. However, the predictive capability of organoid drug screening has not been evaluated in prospective clinical trials.
Conclusion:
High-throughput drug screening on organoids, combined with next-generation sequencing, proteomic analysis and other state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic methods, can shape cancer treatment to become more effective with fewer side-effects.
Insights
Patient-derived organoid models offer a promising approach for personalizing gastrointestinal cancer therapy. These three-dimensional cultures enable efficient drug screening and molecular diagnosis, potentially improving treatment effectiveness and reducing side effects.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Oncology
- Biotechnology and Cancer Research
- Personalized Medicine
Background:
- Prognosis for gastrointestinal cancers varies greatly, with conventional treatments often failing to improve survival.
- Despite advances, molecularly guided personalized cancer treatment remains challenging to implement clinically.
- This review explores the use of patient-derived three-dimensional organoid models for personalizing cancer therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application of patient-derived organoid models in personalizing gastrointestinal cancer treatment.
- To explain the implications of organoid models for patients, surgeons, and oncologists.
- To highlight the potential of organoids in drug screening and molecular diagnostics.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive PubMed literature search was conducted.
- Relevant articles and published protocols on organoid culture were reviewed.
- The review synthesizes information on organoid generation, application, and implications.
Main Results:
- Organoid culture methods are established for various gastrointestinal tissues, including esophagus, stomach, intestine, pancreas, bile duct, and liver.
- Organoids can be rapidly generated from patient samples (biopsies, resections) to create personalized cancer models.
- Drug sensitivity assays using organoids provide actionable profiles for patient tumors, though prospective validation is pending.
Conclusions:
- Organoid models facilitate personalized cancer therapy through efficient molecular diagnosis and drug screening.
- High-throughput drug screening combined with advanced molecular techniques can optimize cancer treatment efficacy and minimize adverse effects.
- Organoid technology holds significant potential for advancing precision oncology in gastrointestinal cancer care.
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