Cancer treatments are increasingly being targeted to specific patient populations based on the molecular and genetic features of their tumor, so called precision or personalized cancer medicine. Preclinical cancer models are essential tools for cancer research, but unfortunately our current models often fail to effectively represent patient tumors and can be poorly predictive of clinical responses. In this perspective, we discuss the use of new in vitro 3D cell models called 'organoids' as preclinical cancer models in the context of other commonly used models, namely cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenografts. We consider the relative strengths and limitations of each model, and discuss how organoid culture models could facilitate the personalization of cancer medicine.
Keywords: cancer; cancer models; cell lines; drug screening; organoids; patient-derived xenografts; personalized treatment.