Organoids: A New Chapter in Sarcoma Diagnosis and Treatment

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 24;23(19):11271. doi: 10.3390/ijms231911271.

Abstract

Sarcomas are malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin that can occur at any age. The rarity of these tumors in combination with the vast number of histological subtypes render the study of sarcomas challenging. Organoids represent complex three-dimensional cell culture systems, deriving from stem cells and preserving the capacity to differentiate into the cell types of their tissue of origin. The aim of the present review is to study the current status of patient-derived organoids, as well as their potential to model tumorigenesis and perform drug screenings for sarcomas. In order to identify relevant studies, a literature review was conducted and we were able to identify 16 studies published between 2019 and 2022. The current manuscript represents the first comprehensive review of the literature focusing on the use of organoids for disease modelling and drug sensitivity testing in diverse sarcoma subtypes.

Keywords: organoids; sarcoma; three-dimensional cell culture.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Organoids / pathology
  • Sarcoma* / diagnosis
  • Sarcoma* / pathology
  • Sarcoma* / therapy
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms*
  • Stem Cells / pathology

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Open Access Publication Fund of Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Research Foundation (DFG).