Table 1 An overview of methods that have been used for head and neck cancer patient-derived tumouroids for drug screening.
From: Head and neck cancer patient-derived tumouroid cultures: opportunities and challenges
Reference | Tumour tissues of origin | Tumouroids/ Organoids | Success Rate | Drug screening | Advantages | Limitations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tanaka et al., 2018 [65] | Samples (n = 43) buccal mucosa, floor of mouth, gingiva, tongue, tonsil, pharynx, larynx | Cancer tissue-originated spheroids (CTOS) | 30.2% | Cisplatin and docetaxel | CTOS method is reliable to generate tumouroids Tumouroids recapitulate tumour characteristics Drug sensitivity assay on tumouroids is similar to in vivo drug treatments. | The formation of tumouroids was high, however, growth rate and the ability to passage are much lower than the other cancer types. Continuous renewal and maintenance. The optimal condition is yet to discover. | |
Driehuis et al., 2019 [60] | Samples (n = 31) oral cavity (floor of mouth, tongue, and gingiva/alveolar process), pharynx, larynx, salivary gland, nasal cavity, and neck | Organoids from healthy mucosa tumouroids from cancer tissues | 60% | Nutlin-3, Niraparib, everolimus, vemurafenib, alpelisib, cisplatin, carboplatin, cetuximab | Protocol for long expansion of tumouroids as well as organoids from healthy mucosa. Different drugs have been tested on tumouroids and received positive results. Tumouroids can be used along with ongoing clinical phase I and phase II.Genetic screening of the tumouroids can help to predict drug response. | Tumouroids can be improved by co-culture with immune cells in order to test immune therapies. More prognostic biomarkers are needed. | |
Driehuis et al., 2019 [67] | Samples (n = 11) tongue, larynx, oral cavity, parotid gland, gingiva | Organoids from healthy Mucosa Tumouroids from cancer tissuesa | 60%a | 7D12, 7D12-9G8 and cetuximab | Characterising EGFR expression in HNSCC patient-derived tumouroids and treated with EGFR-targeting agents. | Biparatopic nanobody has a higher effect on HNC cells compared to monovalent nanobodies due to the small dimensions of tumouroids and lack of systemic distribution. | |
Kijima et al., 2019 [68] | Samples (n = 21) oesophageal and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomasb | Tumouroids from cancer tissues | 71.4% | 5-fluorouracil | CD44 expression plays a major role in tumouroid formation and the resistance for 5-fluorouracil. Tumouroid formation can be initiated with a small sample and small cell count Rapid growth (10–14 days) May predict patient therapy response Self-renewing cells at the passages Recapitulate the key features of the primary tumour. Laboratory and Pharmacological assays Translatable in personalised medicine. | Cell viability Fungal contamination Lack of influence of the tumour environment may influence IC50 Some patient samples may not support media/cell culture conditions Media/ cell culture conditions are not specific to cancer cells Tumouroid features may be different from the well-differentiated tumour Long-distance transportation and long-term cycro-preservation may alter tumour/ tumouroid features. | |
Driehuis et al., 2020 [66] | The paper is focusing on the guidelines based on previously published protocolsa | Published a detailed protocol including Material, Procedure, Troubleshooting and Timing. | Not mentioned. | ||||
Karakasheva et al., 2020 [47] | Sample (n = 31) oesophageal adenocarcinoma and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma | Tumouroids from cancer tissuesa/b | 60%–80% | Paclitaxel, 5-Fluorouracil, Cisplatin | Comprehensive protocol from generating tumouroids to the evaluation of the drugs on the tumouroids. | Signalling pathways are yet to be identified to passage successfully. | |
