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Updated: May 28, 2026
Establishment and Culture of Patient-Derived Breast Organoids
Published on: February 17, 2023
The Organoid Decade: Leveraging 3D Patient-Derived Organoids to Bridge the Translational Gap in Triple-Negative
Jemima Sani1, Bin Yi1,2, Yaguang Xi1,2
1Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with limited effective therapies. Two-dimensional (2D) in vitro models poorly recapitulate tumor microenvironment (TME) interactions, impeding the translational relevance of TNBC immunotherapy research. Three-dimensional patient-derived tumor organoids (3D PDTOs) have emerged as advanced preclinical models that better mimic tumor-immune interactions. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the landscape of 3D PDTO adoption in TNBC research and evaluate their application in addressing key bottlenecks in TNBC immunotherapy. We retrieved 394 studies published between 2015 and 2025 from the PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Of those, 153 studies were included in the review. Fifty-eight (58) TNBC-specific studies met the inclusion criteria, including explicit mention of 3D PDTOs in the title or abstract, with confirmation in the Methods and Results sections. Studies were excluded if they used non-patient-derived tumor organoids or referred to other 3D models as 3D PDTOs. Data were collected from January 2025 through December 2025. Eligible studies were screened in three (3) tiers, grouped by relevant themes and graphed in Excel. We present an overview of the adoption of 3D PDTOs in TNBC research, highlighting the most common application trends within this scope. We also discuss the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and regulatory guidance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) pertinent to the adoption of organoids as human-relevant models to improve translational outcomes. Overall, this review provides actionable insights for leveraging 3D PDTOs to advance translational TNBC research and precision oncology.
Insights
Three-dimensional patient-derived tumor organoids (3D PDTOs) are advancing triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) immunotherapy research. This review assesses 3D PDTO adoption, highlighting their potential to overcome research challenges and improve treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Preclinical Models
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive with limited therapies.
- 2D in vitro models fail to replicate tumor microenvironment (TME) interactions, hindering immunotherapy research.
- 3D patient-derived tumor organoids (3D PDTOs) offer improved preclinical models for tumor-immune interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the adoption and application of 3D PDTOs in TNBC research.
- To evaluate how 3D PDTOs address key challenges in TNBC immunotherapy.
- To explore the impact of AI and regulatory guidance on organoid utilization.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 394 studies (2015-2025) from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Inclusion of 58 TNBC-specific studies explicitly mentioning 3D PDTOs.
- Data collection and screening from January to December 2025, grouped by themes.
Main Results:
- Overview of 3D PDTO adoption trends in TNBC research.
- Identification of common application areas within TNBC immunotherapy.
- Discussion of AI and regulatory factors influencing organoid use.
Conclusions:
- 3D PDTOs are increasingly adopted in TNBC research.
- These models show promise for improving translational outcomes in TNBC immunotherapy.
- Leveraging 3D PDTOs can advance precision oncology for TNBC patients.
