Leveraging patient-derived explant tumor models for translational research
(2026) KIMM05 20261Department of Immunotechnology
- Abstract
- Ovarian cancer (OC) represents one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies in women, with a need for novel treatments. A large obstacle in the development of OC therapies is the poor translation between preclinical and clinical results, partially attributable to the use of unsuitable models for drug screening. Common models such as cell lines, organoids, spheroids, tumor-on-a-chip, and animal models poorly represent the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cellular architecture. In recent years, ex vivo culturing of patient-derived precision-cut tumor slices (PCTS) has emerged as a promising model in oncological research, as this kind of model captures the TME and architecture of the parent tumor. In this project, we assessed key factors... (More)
- Ovarian cancer (OC) represents one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies in women, with a need for novel treatments. A large obstacle in the development of OC therapies is the poor translation between preclinical and clinical results, partially attributable to the use of unsuitable models for drug screening. Common models such as cell lines, organoids, spheroids, tumor-on-a-chip, and animal models poorly represent the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cellular architecture. In recent years, ex vivo culturing of patient-derived precision-cut tumor slices (PCTS) has emerged as a promising model in oncological research, as this kind of model captures the TME and architecture of the parent tumor. In this project, we assessed key factors related to the immune compartment in a PCTS model based on ovarian tumors. In the PCTS model, key immune cells were shown to be maintained viable during culturing. Furthermore, immune cell composition post culture largely reflected the baseline tumor tissue, and T cells retained functionality as demonstrated by significant upregulation of CD137 and CD25 in response to stimulation. Although there is a need for further improvements to address intra-tumoral heterogeneity, which can limit reproducibility, PCTS demonstrate great potential as a physiologically relevant model in translational research. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Ovarian tumor slices help bridge the gap between lab and patient
Ovarian cancer is one of the most common and deadly gynecological cancers. Because it rarely shows symptoms early on, it is often diagnosed at late stages when the disease has progressed. While treatments exist, and new ones are being developed, survival rates remain low. Further complicating the battle against ovarian cancer is that every tumor is unique, meaning that a drug that saves one patient might not work at all for another. Therefore, there is a need for better ways to test treatments before they reach patients.
Traditionally, cancer cells grown in the lab or animals are used to test drugs. However, these methods of modeling treatment response fail to mimic the... (More) - Ovarian tumor slices help bridge the gap between lab and patient
Ovarian cancer is one of the most common and deadly gynecological cancers. Because it rarely shows symptoms early on, it is often diagnosed at late stages when the disease has progressed. While treatments exist, and new ones are being developed, survival rates remain low. Further complicating the battle against ovarian cancer is that every tumor is unique, meaning that a drug that saves one patient might not work at all for another. Therefore, there is a need for better ways to test treatments before they reach patients.
Traditionally, cancer cells grown in the lab or animals are used to test drugs. However, these methods of modeling treatment response fail to mimic the complexity of what really happens inside a tumor in the human body. A promising model has emerged in recent years using thin slices of tumor tissue, also called precision-cut tumor slices (PCTS).
To create these slices from patients’ tumors, a vibratome is used, an instrument that cuts through tissue with a vibrating blade in a saw-like motion, creating almost paper-thin slices. These slices can then be placed in a nutrient-rich solution in the lab, where they can be exposed to different anti-cancer drugs. For this model to accurately predict how the patient’s tumor would respond to the therapeutics, the slices need to mirror the complex environment within the tumor. The tumor consists not only of cancer cells but also immune cells, which can be activated by specific therapies to help fight the cancer.
In this thesis, we used PCTS of ovarian cancer tissue with the aim of developing a robust model for drug testing where the complex tumor environment is mirrored. We show that the cells within the tumor slices can be kept alive for a short period of time in the lab, including also the immune cells which are crucial for testing immune-activating drugs. Key players in the immune system, called T cells, were found to retain their function in the slices. We tested this by adding immune-activating stimulant agents, to see if they would activate the T cells. By keeping the cells alive and functioning, we saw that the model works while still reflecting the uniqueness of each patient’s tumor.
While the PCTS model needs further improvements and validation, it shows great potential. Besides its use in developing new treatments, in the future the model can be used for personalized medicine, by providing a way to test multiple treatments on the patient’s own tumor to select the best one. Ultimately, the PCTS model can be a cornerstone in tackling the challenges of ovarian cancer, creating a world where it is more treatable. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9246523
- author
- Ahlgren, Rebecka LU and Widov, Johanna LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- KIMM05 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9246523
- date added to LUP
- 2026-07-14 18:30:37
- date last changed
- 2026-07-14 18:30:37
@misc{9246523,
abstract = {{Ovarian cancer (OC) represents one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies in women, with a need for novel treatments. A large obstacle in the development of OC therapies is the poor translation between preclinical and clinical results, partially attributable to the use of unsuitable models for drug screening. Common models such as cell lines, organoids, spheroids, tumor-on-a-chip, and animal models poorly represent the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cellular architecture. In recent years, ex vivo culturing of patient-derived precision-cut tumor slices (PCTS) has emerged as a promising model in oncological research, as this kind of model captures the TME and architecture of the parent tumor. In this project, we assessed key factors related to the immune compartment in a PCTS model based on ovarian tumors. In the PCTS model, key immune cells were shown to be maintained viable during culturing. Furthermore, immune cell composition post culture largely reflected the baseline tumor tissue, and T cells retained functionality as demonstrated by significant upregulation of CD137 and CD25 in response to stimulation. Although there is a need for further improvements to address intra-tumoral heterogeneity, which can limit reproducibility, PCTS demonstrate great potential as a physiologically relevant model in translational research.}},
author = {{Ahlgren, Rebecka and Widov, Johanna}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Leveraging patient-derived explant tumor models for translational research}},
year = {{2026}},
}