Scientists device new 3D tumour research models

Researchers have devised a new means of growing tumour samples into 3D spheres that could assist in future cancer therapy research.

The Cornell University team based this finding on a previous discovery it made three years ago that spherical cavities can be created in the common silicon organic polymer polydimethylsiloxane using a low-cost technique.

It has now found that these cavities can be used as scaffolding to grow numerous tumour spheroids, which offer a realistic oxygen environment that cues the blood vessel growth that nourishes tumours in the body.

This could provide a more authentic testing model for medical researchers, helping to overcome the problem of drugs that have proven efficacious in 2D petri dish samples failing when applied to 3D animal tests.

Study leader Dr Michael King said: "Any laboratory that works with cells could adopt our new spherical microcavity system to do their own 3D experiments or drug screening on hundreds or even thousands of little tumour spheroids."

According to the most recent data from Cancer Research UK, 12.7 million people worldwide were diagnosed with cancer in 2008, with just over two percent of this total coming from the UK.