About this Research Topic
This type of 2D model is broadly used, but its failure to reproduce tumor complexity can generate artefacts and non-generalizable results. Moreover, a tumor is not only composed of cancer cells, but also includes a supporting stroma, an extracellular matrix, and immune cells, together with different cell-cell, cell-matrix, and cell-environment interactions. It is difficult to imagine how cells growing on plastic, lacking any physiological complexity, can accurately represent a tumor.
In vitro 3D models have been developed to overcome this simplicity, ranging from multicellular tumor spheroids to more complex structures like Organoids. While 3D tumor models are considered a good compromise between the highly reductionist 2D models and the complexity of in vivo models, they still have significant shortcomings, like poor control over the tumoral environmental conditions, cell density or distance among cells, limited reproducibility, low throughput, and lack of circulatory and immunological systems. Finally, in vivo models in immunocompromised hosts like mice are also very popular.
Xenotransplantation is a widely used technique in preclinical research to test the tumorigenic potential of human cells. However, many differences exist between murine and human biology and the translation of findings from mice to clinical application in humans can be very challenging. Despite all the efforts, many argue that a mouse model can never fully recapitulate human disease. Besides, more than 85% of early clinical trials fail in humans after successful preclinical assays in mice. There is a need for a breakthrough in tumor models for cancer research.
This Research Topic aims to focus on new approaches that will overcome the simplicity and inadequacy of the actual in vitro and in vivo models.
The topic will focus on using microelectronics and microfluidics combined with 3D cancer models for a more realistic study of the disease, implying the convergence of actual knowledge in tumoral biology, tissue engineering, microfluidics, and electronics to generate a breakthrough in tumour models for cancer research. Moreover, it opens new avenues in the modeling, diagnosis and more effective development of new therapies for cancer.
We welcome the submission of manuscripts in the form of original papers, short communications and review papers focusing in:
• Cancer on a chip.
• Microfluidics and cancer.
• Microelectronics and cancer.
Aspects like cancer origin, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, disease diagnosis, and drug development in the cited context are welcome.
Keywords: cancer-on-a-chip, microfluidics, microelectronics, cancer origin, metastasis, tumor microenvironment, disease diagnosis, and drug development
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.