3D Models in Cancer Research: Bridging Tumor Biology and Personalized Medicine

Cancer research is a rapidly evolving field, with a focus on understanding the complex mechanisms underlying tumor biology. The multifactorial nature of cancer, characterized by the heterogeneity of malignant tumors, poses significant challenges in developing effective single-targeted therapies. This necessitates the introduction of diverse models to explore the intricacies of cancer initiation, progression, drug resistance, and recurrence. Among these, three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models have emerged as pivotal tools in cancer research and personalized drug discovery. These models replicate the tumor microenvironment by restoring critical cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix interactions, offering a more accurate representation of tumor biology. Furthermore, 3D cell models align with the 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) by potentially reducing the reliance on animal models in research. Despite these advancements, there remains a need for a deeper understanding of the cellular, molecular, and biochemical dynamics within these models to unlock innovative therapeutic opportunities.

This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of cancer through the application of 3D cellular models. By leveraging these models, the research seeks to address key questions related to tumorigenesis, drug screening, and personalized therapy. The primary objectives include exploring the potential of 3D culture models in mimicking real tumor environments, enhancing drug discovery processes, and tailoring personalized treatment strategies. The research will test hypotheses regarding the efficacy and optimization of 3D models in providing insights into tumor biology and therapeutic interventions.

To gather further insights into the application of 3D models in cancer research, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Application of 3D culture models in tumor biology
• Modeling cancer spheroids and organoids
• Use of 3D culture models in drug screening
• Use of 3D culture models for personalized medicine
• Optimization of 3D tumor models for drug discovery research


A full list of accepted article types, including descriptions, can be found at this link.



Please note: studies consisting solely of bioinformatic investigation of publicly available genomic/transcriptomic/proteomic data do not fall within the scope of the section unless they are expanded and provide significant biological or mechanistic insight into the process being studied and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.

Keywords: 3D culture system, modeling cancer spheroids, modeling cancer organoids, patient-derived 3D cancer models, drug discovery, personalized therapy, tumor microenvironment

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.