Three-Dimensional Culture Systems in Gastric Cancer Research

SIMPLE SUMMARY: It is getting more and more clear that cancer cell culture models are switching from two-dimension to three-dimensional, in order to better reflect in vivo situations where tumor cells have to cope with a highly interactive three-dimensional microenvironment. Several such culture models have been reported, predominantly multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) and patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTO). These are used both to investigate fundamental aspects of cancer development and as test systems for innovative therapies against gastric cancer, the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The authors review the actual state of research in this field to provide an overview of the contribution of MCTS and PDTO, especially in the areas of molecular profiling, drug discovery, pathogen infection, and personalized medicine. ABSTRACT: Gastric cancer (GC), which includes cancer of the esophagus, the oesophagogastric junction, and the stomach fundus, is highly deadly with strong regional influence, Asia being the most affected. GC is often detected at late stages, with 30% of metastatic cases at diagnosis. Many authors have devised models to both unravel the mechanisms of GC development and to evaluate candidate therapeutics. Among these models, 2D-cell cultures are progressively replaced by 3D-cell cultures that recapitulate, much more comprehensively, tumor cellular and genetic heterogeneity, as well as responsiveness to environmental changes, such as exposure to drugs or irradiation. With respect to the specifics of GC, there are high hopes from such model systems, especially with the aim of identifying prognostic markers and novel drug targets.