Patient-derived models facilitate precision medicine in liver cancer by remodeling cell-matrix interaction

Abstract

Liver cancer is an aggressive tumor originating in the liver with a dismal prognosis. Current evidence suggests that liver cancer is the fifth most prevalent cancer worldwide and the second most deadly type of malignancy. Tumor heterogeneity accounts for the differences in drug responses among patients, emphasizing the importance of precision medicine. Patient-derived models of cancer are widely used preclinical models to study precision medicine since they preserve tumor heterogeneity ex vivo in the study of many cancers. Patient-derived models preserving cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions better recapitulate in vivo conditions, including patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), precision-cut liver slices (PCLSs), patient-derived organoids (PDOs), and patient-derived tumor spheroids (PDTSs). In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the different modalities used to establish preclinical models for precision medicine in liver cancer.

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“…Translational research tools like patient-derived organoids (PDOs) and xenograft models (PDX) are instrumental in applying preclinical findings to clinical treatment design. For instance, PDOs derived from colorectal cancer patients have been utilized to evaluate the efficacy of novel drugs, replicating the complex cellular environment of the originating tumor [153,154]. These studies have led directly to clinical trials and adjustments to treatment regimens, exemplifying how PDOs can significantly influence therapeutic planning and patient management.…”

“…PDX models, together with PDOs, enhance therapeutic planning by replicating the complex tumor environment, thereby offering a dynamic platform for drug evaluation and the development of personalized treatment regimens [153,154].…”