Preliminary study of utilizing a patient derived tumor spheroid model to augment precision therapy in metastatic brain tumors.

in Scientific reports by Chun-Jen Chang, Kai-Wen Kan, Yu-Yin Shih, Yu-Han Nan, Yu-Chung Juan, Chih-Hsiu Tu, Chen-Ting Yang, Wei-Lin Hsu, Der-Yang Cho, Ming-You Shie, Yi-Wen Chen, Chun-Chung Chen

TLDR

  • A new ex vivo model, the Patient-Derived Tumor Spheroid (PDTS) system, was developed for precision drug testing on metastatic brain tumors, showing 57% accuracy in predicting clinical outcomes.
  • The PDTS system offers real-time results, simultaneous testing of multiple drugs, and reproducibility, with potential applications in personalized medicine and improved patient outcomes.

Abstract

Treating metastatic brain tumors remains a significant challenge. This study introduces and applies the Patient-Derived Tumor Spheroid (PDTS) system, an ex vivo model for precision drug testing on metastatic brain tumor. The PDTS system utilizes a decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) derived from adipose tissue, combined with the tumor cells, to form tumor spheroids. These spheroids were subsequently used to test anticancer drugs, with results compared to the clinical outcomes observed after administering these treatments to patients. To assess the validity of the data, the correlation between the drug responses observed in the PDTS model and actual patient outcomes was analyzed. Chi-square tests evaluated the significance of associations between lab predictions and clinical outcomes, using a significance threshold of p < 0.05. In preliminary data, 17 patients met the criteria for final analysis, which showed an overall 57% accuracy (p-value = 0.463), with improvements to 73% accuracy (p-value = 0.072) when patients receiving certain treatments were excluded. This PDTS offers real-time results within three weeks, simultaneous testing of multiple drugs, and the ability to culture and store tumor cells for reproducibility. Despite some limitations, further development of this model could enhance its clinical application and improve patient outcomes.

Overview

  • The study introduced and applied the Patient-Derived Tumor Spheroid (PDTS) system, an ex vivo model for precision drug testing on metastatic brain tumors.
  • The PDTS system uses a decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) derived from adipose tissue, combined with tumor cells, to form tumor spheroids.
  • The study aimed to develop an ex vivo model for precision drug testing on metastatic brain tumors, with the potential to improve patient outcomes.

Comparative Analysis & Findings

  • The results showed an overall 57% accuracy in predicting clinical outcomes using the PDTS model, with some improvements to 73% accuracy when certain treatments were excluded.
  • The accuracy was evaluated using chi-square tests, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.
  • The study found that the PDTS model was able to correlate with actual patient outcomes, providing a potential tool for precision drug testing on metastatic brain tumors.

Implications and Future Directions

  • The PDTS system offers several advantages, including real-time results within three weeks, simultaneous testing of multiple drugs, and the ability to culture and store tumor cells for reproducibility.
  • Despite some limitations, further development of the PDTS model could enhance its clinical application and improve patient outcomes.
  • Future studies could focus on refining the PDTS model, exploring its applications in other cancer types, and investigating its potential for personalized medicine.
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