title: Personalized in vitro cancer modeling - fantasy or reality?
abstract: With greater technological advancements and understanding of pathophysiology, "personalized medicine" has become a more realistic goal. In the field of cancer, personalized medicine is the ultimate objective, as each cancer is unique and each tumor is heterogeneous. For many decades, researchers have relied upon studying the histopathology of tumors in the hope that it would provide clues to understanding the pathophysiology of cancer. Current preclinical research relies heavily upon two-dimensional culture models. However, these models have had limited success in recreating the complex interactions between cancer cells and the stroma environment in vivo. Thus, there is increasing impetus to shift to three-dimensional models, which more accurately reflect this phenomenon. With a more accurate in vitro tumor model, drug sensitivity can be tested to determine the best treatment option based on the tumor characteristics. Many methods have been developed to create tumor models or "tumoroids," each with its advantages and limitations. One significant problem faced is the replication of angiogenesis that is characteristic of tumors in vivo. Nonetheless, if three-dimensional models could be standardized and implemented as a preclinical research tool for therapeutic testing, we would be taking a step towards making personalized cancer medicine a reality.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Everett
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Santi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: G
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loizidou
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Laboratory (BioADD), Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address: a.seifalian@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seifalian