Advances on colorectal cancer 3D models: The needed translational technology for nanomedicine screening

• Published in: Advanced drug delivery reviews Vol. 175; p. 113824
• Main Authors: Castro, Flávia, Leite Pereira, Catarina, Helena Macedo, Maria, Almeida, Andreia, José Silveira, Maria, Dias, Sofia, Patrícia Cardoso, Ana, José Oliveira, Maria, Sarmento, Bruno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Colorectal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Drug discovery; Humans; Microfluidic devices; Nanomedicine - methods; Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System; Organ-on-a chip; Organoids; Organoids - drug effects; Organoids - pathology; Personalized medicine; Spheroids; Spheroids, Cellular - drug effects; Spheroids, Cellular - pathology; Tissue Scaffolds; Translational Research, Biomedical - methods; Tumor microenvironment; Organoids; Tumor microenvironment; Organ-on-a chip; Microfluidic devices; Drug discovery; Personalized medicine; Spheroids
• ISSN: 0169-409X; 1872-8294
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.06.001

[Display omitted] Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous and molecularly complex disease, associated with high mortality worldwide, exposing the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Their development and translation to the clinic have been hampered, partially due to the absence of reliable cellular models that resemble key features of the human disease. While traditional 2D models are not able to provide consistent and predictive responses about the in vivo efficiency of the formulation, animal models frequently fail to recapitulate cancer progression and to reproduce adverse effects. On its turn, multicellular 3D systems, by mimicking key genetic, physical and mechanical cues of the tumor microenvironment, constitute a promising tool in cancer research. In addition, they constitute more physiological and relevant environment for anticancer drugs screening and for predicting patient’s response towards personalized approaches, bridging the gap between simplified 2D models and unrepresentative animal models. In this review, we provide an overview of CRC 3D models for translational research, with focus on their potential for nanomedicines screening.