Ex-Vivo 3D Cellular Models of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: From Embryonic Development to Precision Oncology

Pancreas is a vital gland of gastrointestinal system with exocrine and endocrine secretory functions, interweaved into essential metabolic circuitries of the human body. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents one of the most lethal malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate of 11%. This poor prognosis is primarily attributed to the absence of early symptoms, rapid metastatic dissemination, and the limited efficacy of current therapeutic interventions. Despite recent advancements in understanding the etiopathogenesis and treatment of PDAC, there remains a pressing need for improved individualized models, identification of novel molecular targets, and development of unbiased predictors of disease progression. Here we aim to explore the concept of precision medicine utilizing 3-dimensional, patient-specific cellular models of pancreatic tumors and discuss their potential applications in uncovering novel druggable molecular targets and predicting clinical parameters for individual patients.