Three-dimensional tumor models have become established in both basic and clinical research. As multicellular systems consisting of tumor and tumor-associated cells, they can better represent tumor characteristics than monocellular 2D cultures. In this review, we highlight the potential applications of tumor spheroids and organoids in the field of urology. Further, we illustrate the generation and characteristics of standardized organoids as well as membrane-based 3D in vitro models in bladder cancer research. We discuss the technical aspects and review the initial successes of molecular analyses in the three major urologic tumor entities: urinary bladder carcinoma (BCa), prostate carcinoma (PCa), and renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
Keywords: 3D cell culture technique; bladder cancer; prostate cancer; renal cell carcinoma.