Utilizing gastric cancer organoids to assess tumor biology and personalize medicine
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Published on: December 28, 2021
Miranda Lin1, Mei Gao1, Michael J Cavnar1
1Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
Abstract:
While the incidence and mortality of gastric cancer (GC) have declined due to public health programs, it remains the third deadliest cancer worldwide. For patients with early disease, innovative endoscopic and complex surgical techniques have improved survival. However, for patients with advanced disease, there are limited treatment options and survival remains poor. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more effective therapies. Since novel therapies require extensive preclinical testing prior to human trials, it is important to identify methods to expedite this process. Traditional cancer models are restricted by the inability to accurately recapitulate the primary human tumor, exorbitant costs, and the requirement for extended periods of development time. An emerging in vitro model to study human disease is the patient-derived organoid, which is a three-dimensional system created from fresh surgical or biopsy tissues of a patient's gastric tumor. Organoids are cultured in plastic wells and suspended in a gelatinous matrix, providing a substrate for extension and growth in all dimensions. They are rapid-growing and highly representative of the molecular landscape, histology, and morphology of the various subtypes of GC. Organoids uniquely model tumor initiation and growth, including steps taken by normal stomach cells to transform into invasive, intestinal-type tumor cells. Additionally, they provide ample material for biobanking and screening novel therapies. Lastly, organoids are a promising model for personalized therapy and warrant further investigation in drug sensitivity studies for GC patients.
Insights
Patient-derived organoids offer a rapid and accurate preclinical model for gastric cancer (GC) research. These 3D models closely mimic human tumors, accelerating the development of novel therapies for this deadly disease.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of cancer death globally, with limited treatment options for advanced stages.
- Current preclinical models face limitations in accurately representing human tumors, leading to high costs and lengthy development times.
- There is a critical need for improved models to expedite the development of novel gastric cancer therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce patient-derived organoids as a novel in vitro model for studying gastric cancer.
- To highlight the advantages of organoids in recapitulating tumor characteristics and facilitating preclinical research.
- To explore the potential of organoids in personalized therapy and drug sensitivity studies for gastric cancer.
Main Methods:
- Patient-derived organoids were established from fresh gastric tumor tissues.
- Organoids were cultured in a three-dimensional matrix to allow for growth and development.
- The molecular landscape, histology, and morphology of organoids were analyzed and compared to primary tumors.
Main Results:
- Organoids demonstrated rapid growth and accurately reflected the molecular and histological subtypes of gastric cancer.
- These 3D models successfully recapitulated tumor initiation and progression, including cellular transformation.
- Organoids provided sufficient material for biobanking and screening of potential therapeutic agents.
Conclusions:
- Patient-derived organoids represent a powerful and representative in vitro model for gastric cancer research.
- Organoids can significantly expedite preclinical testing of novel therapies, overcoming limitations of traditional models.
- Further investigation of organoids is warranted for personalized medicine approaches and drug sensitivity testing in gastric cancer patients.
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