New 3D-printed Tumor Model Enables Faster, Less Expensive and Less Painful Cancer Treatment
Published:31 Oct.2023 Source:University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo-based team combined cutting-edge bioprinting techniques with synthetic structures or microfluidic chips. The method will help lab researchers more accurately understand heterogeneous tumours.
First, the team created polymer "microfluidic chips": tiny structures etched with channels that mimic blood flow and other fluids surrounding a patient's tumour. Next, the team grew multiple types of cancer cells and suspended these cell cultures in their own customized bioink: a cocktail of gelatine, alginate, and other nutrients designed to keep the cells cultures alive. Finally, they used an extrusion bioprinter -- a device that resembles a 3D printer but for organic material -- to layer the different types of cancer cells onto the prepared microfluidic chips. The result is a living, three-dimensional model of complex cancers that scientists can then use to test different modes of treatment, such as various chemotherapy drugs.
Breast cancer is especially challenging to treat because it appears as complex tumours containing multiple types of cells when it metastasizes. Relying on the cells from one or two biopsies to accurately represent an entire tumour can lead to ineffective treatment plans and poor outcomes. The 3D-printed tumour models exemplify how new technology enables faster, less expensive and less painful treatments for serious conditions like late-stage breast cancer.