Stem cell research has been a topic of interest for a number of years. Even if you have only a vague understanding of what stem cells are, you likely know that they hold great promise for treating any number of conditions or diseases.

But there’s also a potential darker side to stem cells. Some cancer researchers have proposed a cancer stem cell hypothesis, where cancer stem cells are actually found within tumors themselves and are thought to be responsible for tumor growth, resistance, and recurrence, even after treatment. The hypothesis puts forth the idea that these cells are what makes malignant tumors so hard to treat.

However, this news isn’t all bad. Traditional cancer treatment methods like chemotherapy and radiation strive to kill all cancerous cells. Not only do these treatments often kill healthy cells in the process, but they’ve also been shown to be ineffective in treating more aggressive and advanced cancers.

The hypothesis suggests that “indiscriminate killing of cancer cells would not be as effective as selective targeting of the cells that are driving long-term growth.” If these cancer stem cells can be identified and targeted, treatments may become more effective and less exhausting for patients.

While this theory has not been completely proven, it does hold promise for the future of cancer treatments. Considering that approximately 39.6% of men and women will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point during their lives, scientific researchers understand the importance of improving existing treatments and finding new ways to study cancerous cells. At BRTI Life Sciences, our 3D cell culture systems provide yet another innovative way to more effectively study tumors and test different cancer treatments in vitro. To find out more about our tumor modeling options, please contact us today.

For many years, two-dimensional cell cultures were one of the only options researchers had to create and study cell growth and interaction. But 2D systems have definitive limitations: unlike how they behave in the human body, cells can’t grow in all directions in 2D, which makes it difficult to get realistic results. Because these cell cultures aren’t totally accurate, they don’t allow researchers to precisely predict how a given substance or medication will react in vivo.

3D tumor models, however, are much more true to life. Because 3D cell cultures mimic the tumor microenvironment more closely than 2D systems do, this realism results in much better research. These 3D tumor models accurately replicate the microenvironments of tumors found in nature like necrosis, angiogenesis, cell adhesion, and more. When researchers use 3D cell culture systems to have a more complete picture, there are more promising possibilities for the future of cancer treatments.

Since the types and behaviors of tumors are varied — there are over 120 different types of brain tumors alone — it can be a challenge for researchers to create treatments that are effective for patients across the board. However, thanks to 3D tumor models, these treatments may one day be totally personalized.

As it stands now, new cancer drugs need to be clinically tested prior to approval. It costs over $2 billion to develop just one new cancer drug, and nearly 90% of drugs that enter clinical trials fail. By using 3D cell systems, researchers can observe the exact behavior of certain cells from patient samples when given specific treatments. This gives researchers the potential to make personalized and effective cancer treatments for patients. Overall, this process would bring the cost of cancer treatments down, as time and money would not be wasted on developing treatments that don’t work in the human body.

The use of 3D models is still relatively new, but their potential is tremendous. At BRTI Life Sciences, we’ve made it simple for you to design your own 3D models for tumor research. Our Cell-Mate3D™ is a 3D cell culture matrix that is tissue-like, injectable, and chemically defined, thus offering a realistic microenvironment to be used in both in vitro and in vivo biomedical studies. To find out more about how our products can help you to conduct more accurate research, please contact us today.