Image by Getty/Futurism Cancer
For the purpose of studying how to kill it, a team of crazy scientists 3D printed a viable, living glioblastoma tumour.
According to Wednesday's research in Science Advances, the tumor is composed of brain-like material and artificial vessels. This makes it the most realistic representation of glioblastoma that doctors can work with. It could be the beginning of a new class of cancer drugs that is more effective than current treatments and personalized treatment for patients with glioblastoma who are currently facing a grim outlook.
Ronit Satchi Fainaro, a Tel Aviv University neuroscientist, stated in a university press release that if we take a tissue sample from a patient, along with its extracellular matrix we can 3D-bioprint 100 tumors from it and test various drugs in different combinations to find the best treatment. Alternately we can also test multiple compounds on a 3D bioprinted tumor to determine which one is the most promising for further development or investment.
The 3D-printed tumor represents a significant leap forward in cancer treatment. Scientists must lab test the treatment on cultured cells, animals and other models to ensure safety and effectiveness.
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Satchi-Fainaro stated in the release that cancer behaves differently on a plastic substrate than in the human body. 90% of all experimental drugs fail in clinical trials because they are not reproducible in patients.
This is why we use tumors to develop and test drugs that work in the body. We hope to be able to save lives and eliminate deadly tumors before they become out of control.
