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Cancer patients' own cells used in 3D printed tumours to test treatments:
TEL AVIV, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Researchers have used brain cancer patients' own cells in a form of 3D printing material to make a model of their tumour to test the efficacy of potential treatments before using them for real inside the body.
The scientists extract "a chunk" of the tumour from the brain of a patient with glioblastoma [...] and use it to print a model matching their MRI scans, said Professor Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, who led the research at Tel Aviv University.
The patient's blood is then pumped through the printed tumour, made with a compound that mimics the brain, followed by a drug or therapeutic treatment.
While previous research has used such "bioprinting" to simulate cancer environments, the Tel Aviv University researchers say they are the first to print a "viable" tumour.
[...] A treatment is deemed promising if the printed tumour shrinks or if it lowers metabolic activity against control groups.
The article has photos and a short video of the process.
Also at: Nerdist.
Journal Reference:
Lena Neufeld, Eilam Yeini, Noa Reisman, et al. Microengineered perfusable 3D-bioprinted glioblastoma model for in vivo mimicry of tumor microenvironment [open], Science Advances (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi9119)
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday August 23 2021, @02:14PM
I think with the current speed of medical advances - with way more tools in our toolbox than we've ever had before - we might eventually crack some of the most common cancers. Perhaps not in my lifetime, but some time this century. As long as those bloody microbiologists can resist the temptation to do Gain of Function research on HeLa.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves