3D Cell Culture Systems Reveal Drug Efficacy That Is Undetectable In Traditional Flat Culture Systems

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In recent years, drug discovery has increasingly focused on developing compounds that specifically target the so-called 'cancer stem cell' (CSC) populations within tumors. Traditional "Standard of Care" chemotherapeutics are designed to target rapidly dividing cancer cells, which aims to reduce the overall tumor mass. While these treatments can drive short-term tumor regression, they often come with significant toxicity (side effects) and a high likelihood of patient relapse. It is now widely recognized that to achieve permanent tumor eradication, it is essential to eliminate or inhibit the cancer stem cell population that initiates tumor growth. In patients, this approach might initially result in only a modest reduction in tumor size. However, it promises a more effective long-term treatment by inducing subtle changes in the behavior (phenotype) of the cells within the tumor, rather than merely killing them.

The quest for such targeted compounds has created a demand for more predictive screening platforms. Historically, drug discovery has relied heavily on the use of 2D cancer cell lines. However, these models lack the cellular heterogeneity and relevant phenotypic behavior necessary for studying CSC inhibitors, making them largely unsuitable for this purpose. This shift in focus underscores the importance of developing more sophisticated and accurate models that can better predict the efficacy of potential cancer stem cell-targeting compounds.

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