Spatial multi-omics technologies and applications in cancer

Spatial multi-omics integrates individual genomics technologies with a single technology that simultaneously acquires data from multiple genomics, enabling parallel or even identical tissue sections for joint analysis of cells in tissues. It facilitates the analysis of cell-cell-interactions and provides a three-dimensional panoramic view of tissues. Thus, joint profiling of spatial multi-omics features may enable us to reconstruct key processes in tumorigenesis. Through spatial multi-omics technology, researchers have revealed spatial cellular interactions, TLS identification, changes in immune function, and established a spatial map of human tumors and a spatial gene database, which facilitates the development of personalized tumor therapy. In the future, there may be a need to further develop new spatial analysis techniques and tools, mainly in terms of spatial and temporal resolution, throughput, and sensitivity, to aid in cancer diagnosis and treatment and to decode novel mechanisms of tumorigenesis and development. In this review, we provide guidance for selecting appropriate spatial multi-omics techniques by elucidating the advantages and disadvantages of various spatial multi-omics and highlight advances in cancer field of spatial multi-omics technologies.