Organoid modeling as a therapeutic prediction tool in androgen-independent castrate resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common form of cancer in men from developed countries, and ranks second in cancer-related deaths. The rapid recurrence of drug-resistant tumors in patients with incurable androgen-independent castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC-AI) underscores the need for more effective therapies. Our recent findings suggest that androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) enriches for a subpopulation of stem cells that are responsible for the relapse of CRPC-AI and treatment resistance.

3D organoid culture has emerged as a novel pre-clinical model that allows tumors to propagate ex vivo. Organoids constructed from patient biopsies can not only predict individual response, but also parallel real-time response over the course of treatment. Knowing this information will provide insight into future courses of therapy personalized to patients. It would be advantageous to model the patients’ tumor ex vivo to rapidly identify rate of response to standard of care, and identify alternate therapies for the patient (ie: clinical trial enrollment). Another advantage of testing the patients’ response to therapy like this, is that the patient could forgo the exposure to a drug that will only potentiate the aggressiveness of their disease. [TBC]

Faculty Supervisor:

Catherine Pang

Student:

Partner:

Harvard University

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: