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In a groundbreaking advancement for personalized oncology care, researchers from the National University of Singapore NUS and the National Cancer Centre Singapore NCCS have developed an innovative platform that significantly reduces the time needed to evaluate the efficacy of anticancer drugs. This first-of-its-kind technology allows freshly resected tumors to be preserved in a tissue-like bioengineered hydrogel for up to 10 days, facilitating personalized drug screening and testing tlored for cancer patients.
Tumors are complex ecosystems consisting not only of rapidly dividing cancer cells but also dynamic support cells such as immune cells. Their composition can vary widely between different individuals even when considering similar backgrounds, demographics, or lifestyles. Consequently, two patients with the same cancer type may respond differently to the same drug. Current treatment decisions often rely on cohort responses rather than individual patient outcomes.
Assistant Professor Eliza Fong of NUS's Department of Biomedical Engineering and the N.1 Institute for Health elaborated: The tumor isn't made solely of cancer cells; they're supported by a range of other cell types, akin to the various pieces in a chess set. The cancer cells the king are protected and sustned by immune cells and fibroblasts that serve as 'pawns', 'rooks', 'bishops', and 'knights'. Many drugs now target these supportive cells to eliminate cancer cells.
The team's breakthrough lies in utilizing tissue-like bioengineered hydrogels to mntn tumor fragments outside the body for an exted period post-surgery. Assistant Professor Fong explned that this technique allows researchers to create a more accurate representation of the complex interactions within the original tumor microenvironment, which can lead to improved treatment strategies.
Professor Gopal Iyer, co-lead of this study and Head of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at NCCS, emphasized its importance: As an oncologist and scientist, my goal is to provide better treatments for patients and ensure that we match each patient with the right drug at the right time. With a success rate of about 20 for leading immunotherapy drugs currently avlable for advanced disease, we are looking to improve efficacy through this personalized approach. The team's findings have significant implications for personalized medicine and targeted therapy development.
The researchers envision larger-scale clinical trials to validate their innovative biomaterial. They also m to establish a local repository of tumors that can be used across Singapore and the region for comprehensive drug testing and screening. Assistant Professor Fong sd, Advancements in biomaterials and personalized oncology, alongside strong clinician collaborations, will accelerate our efforts to optimize drugs for individual patients not only within Singapore but globally as well.
This development underscores the potential of innovative research to revolutionize cancer care by enabling faster, treatment decisions based on each patient's unique tumor characteristics.
This article is reproduced from: https://news.nus.edu.sg/singapore-scientists-develop-new-platform-that-significantly-reduces-drug-testing-and-screening-time-for-cancer-patients/
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