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Updated: Jan 14, 2026
Creating Matched In vivo/In vitro Patient-Derived Model Pairs of PDX and PDX-Derived Organoids for Cancer Pharmacology Research
Published on: May 5, 2021
Renal cell carcinoma organoids for precision medicine: bridging the gap between models and patients
Jian Gao1,2, Huijiu Luo1,2, Shiyu Wang1,2
1Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China.
Abstract:
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) poses significant challenges to precision oncology due to its pronounced molecular heterogeneity and complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cultures and animal models fall short in capturing patient-specific tumor biology, limiting their translational relevance. In contrast, three-dimensional (3D) organoid platforms offer structurally and functionally representative models that retain key pathological and pharmacological features of RCC. Notably, RCC organoids enable pharmacokinetic assessment, including drug penetration, metabolic activation, and off-target toxicity in a spatially organized context. This review outlines current strategies for RCC organoid construction-including patient-derived organoids (PDOs), air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, scaffold-based matrices, and microfluidic systems-and evaluates their applications in drug screening, resistance modeling, and immunotherapy prediction. We further discuss technical and biological limitations such as phenotypic drift, inter-sample variability, and TME reconstruction, alongside emerging solutions in synthetic scaffolds, immune co-cultures, and multi-omics integration. In conclusion, RCC organoids are rapidly evolving into clinically actionable platforms, offering a scalable and predictive approach to personalized therapy in renal oncology.
Insights
Three-dimensional (3D) organoids offer advanced models for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) research, overcoming limitations of traditional methods. These patient-derived organoids (PDOs) improve drug screening and personalized therapy prediction in oncology.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Translational Medicine
Background:
- Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presents challenges in precision oncology due to molecular heterogeneity and complex tumor microenvironment (TME).
- Conventional 2D cultures and animal models lack the patient-specific biological fidelity needed for effective translational research.
- Three-dimensional (3D) organoid platforms provide more accurate, patient-specific models of RCC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current strategies for constructing renal cell carcinoma (RCC) organoids.
- To evaluate the applications of RCC organoids in drug screening, resistance modeling, and immunotherapy prediction.
- To discuss limitations and emerging solutions in RCC organoid technology for personalized oncology.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on RCC organoid construction techniques.
- Analysis of patient-derived organoids (PDOs), air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, scaffold-based matrices, and microfluidic systems.
- Evaluation of organoid applications in pharmacokinetic assessment, drug screening, and TME reconstruction.
Main Results:
- RCC organoids retain key pathological and pharmacological features, enabling in vitro pharmacokinetic assessment.
- Various construction strategies (PDOs, ALI, scaffolds, microfluidics) are available for RCC modeling.
- Organoids facilitate drug screening, resistance modeling, and immunotherapy prediction with improved translational relevance.
Conclusions:
- RCC organoids are evolving into clinically actionable platforms for personalized renal oncology.
- They offer a scalable and predictive approach to tailoring cancer therapies.
- Addressing limitations like phenotypic drift and TME reconstruction is key to maximizing their clinical utility.
