Based on recent advances in organoid research as well as the need to find more accurate models for drug screening in cancer research, patient-derived organoids have emerged as an effective in vitro model system to study cancer. Showing numerous advantages over 2D cell lines, 3D cell lines, and primary cell culture, organoids have been applied in drug screening to demonstrate the correlation between genetic mutations and sensitivity to targeted therapy. Organoids have also been used in co-clinical trials to compare drug responses in organoids to clinical responses in the corresponding patients. Numerous studies have reported the successful use of organoids to predict therapy response in cancer patients. Recently, organoids have been adopted to predict treatment response to radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The development of high throughput drug screening and organoids-on-a-chip technology can advance the use of patient-derived organoids in clinical practice and facilitate therapeutic decision-making.
Keywords: Cancer; Clinical decision making; Drug screening; Patient-derived organoids.