3D models of tumours developed to test cancer treatments and drugs - Europa Press





GRANADA 31 Oct.

Scientists at the University of Granada (UGR) have created a three-dimensional, multicellular tumour model of head and neck cancer with the aim of advancing research into the anti-tumour effect of different treatments. The idea is to have more realistic tumour models that mimic the full complexity of the tumour and thus faithfully reproduce the response to drugs.

The revolution of these models lies in the fact that they include not only proliferative tumour cells and cancer stem cells, but also non-tumour cells and surrounding tumour matrices that influence tumour growth and treatment resistance.

In this way, new treatments can be tested in an environment that more closely simulates the reality of the human body. ‘The inclusion of healthy cells is crucial to identify possible side effects and to study whether the drug specifically affects tumour cells,’ explains Julia López, a researcher at the UGR Faculty of Medicine who is working on the project.

In addition, the model provides valuable information on how the tumour matrix influences drug resistance, she adds.

MELATONIN AND CANCER

The collaboration between laboratories led to these 3D models that help to evaluate, in particular, the effect of melatonin, a compound that has shown high anti-cancer efficacy in various types of cancer. The results reveal that melatonin has a significant impact on head and neck cancer cells, especially the most drug-resistant ones: cancer stem cells, which are responsible for the failure of other treatments.

In addition, the substance preserves healthy cells. The research results were published in the prestigious journal Materials Today Bio. ‘It is an extraordinary achievement that a project focused on providing expertise to young researchers has culminated in a publication of this level,’ says researcher César Rodríguez-Santana, who is also working on this study.

For his part, Juan Antonio Marchal, professor in the Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, indicates that ‘these new 3D models that recreate the components of the tumour niche will allow personalised medicine and the simultaneous study of different therapeutic targets in cancer patients’.

Source: https://www.infosalus.com/salud-investigacion/noticia-desarrollan-modelos-3d-tumores-poner-prueba-tratamientos-farmacos-contra-cancer-20241031140520.html

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