Head and neck tumor organoid biobank
2025
Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany(1)
Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt, Germany(2)
Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt, Germany(2)
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a diverse group of tumors in the upper digestive and respiratory tracts, and it's often hard to know how they'll respond to treatment. Patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs), which are tiny 3D models of tumors grown from patient tissue, could help personalize treatment. In this study, researchers developed a collection of these organoid models, called a head and neck organoid biobank (HNOB), that represents the major clinically relevant subtypes of HNC, specifically those driven by mutations in the TP53 gene and those caused by infection with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16). Organoids were treated with radiation, and results linked to patient outcomes. Altered organoids showed how TP53 loss and HPV drive cancer.
The biobank has 18 organoids. Organoids showed gene patterns linked to cancer types and different responses to a TP53 drug. How organoids reacted to radiation matched patient responses and predicted relapse. TP53 loss and HPV increased growth, but only HPV made cells sensitive to radiation by blocking their cycle.
The results of this study demonstrate that organoid models of head and neck cancer represent a valuable tool for personalizing treatment decisions and for achieving a more detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development and progression of these cancers.
Head and neck tumor organoid biobank for modelling individual responses to radiation therapy according to the TP53/HPV status
Christian Issing(1), Henner F. Farin(2)
Christian Issing et al. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research 2025 [1]
Biermann Medizin [2]
Added on: 04-30-2025
[1] https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-025-03345-3[2] https://biermann-medizin.de/organoid-biobank-aus-kopf-hals-tumoren-neue-ressource-zur-erforschung-personalisierter-therapieoptionen/
