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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

In vivo Imaging and Therapeutic Treatments in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Ovarian Cancer
07:46

In vivo Imaging and Therapeutic Treatments in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Ovarian Cancer

Published on: August 17, 2010

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Ex vivo drug sensitivity testing predicts treatment outcomes in advanced ovarian cancer

Kathrin B Labrosse1,2, Flavio C Lombardo1, Ewelina M Bartoszek3

  • 1Department of Biomedicine, Ovarian Cancer Research, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

NPJ Precision Oncology
|February 6, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study introduces DRUGSENS, a new platform for ex vivo drug testing in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). It helps personalize treatment by predicting patient response to therapies, improving outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Translational Medicine
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) management is challenging due to frequent relapses.
  • Personalized treatment strategies are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
  • Functional ex vivo drug testing offers a method to tailor therapies based on individual tumor sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present DRUGSENS, a scalable and clinically adaptable ex vivo drug screening platform.
  • To quantitatively assess single-cell, on-target drug effects in EOC cell lines and patient samples.
  • To guide personalized treatment decisions by analyzing drug responses and combinations.

Main Methods:

  • DRUGSENS platform utilizes immunofluorescence-based confocal imaging and computational analysis (QuPath, Fiji, R package).
  • Semi-automated assay assesses responses to single agents and drug combinations.
  • Profiling of 21 samples from 17 chemotherapy-naive and relapsed EOC patients.

Main Results:

  • Achieved 100% culture success with results delivered within 10 days.
  • Identified multidrug resistance in most samples, showing limited sensitivity to multiple agents.
  • Demonstrated significant correlation between ex vivo drug responses and progression-free/overall survival.

Conclusions:

  • DRUGSENS provides rapid, clinically relevant functional profiling for EOC.
  • The platform can inform treatment recommendations and prioritize drugs for clinical application.
  • This tool supports personalized medicine approaches in ovarian cancer treatment.

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