A systematic review on patient derived-lung cancer organoids: promising model for drug screening and personalized medicine

Lung cancer (LC) contributes to about 1.8 million deaths each year, thereby positioning it as a leading cause of cancer mortality globally. Patient-derived lung cancer organoids (LCOs) are considered a promising model for drug screening. The objective of this systematic review is to outline the various methods of characterizing LCOs and analyze their ability to be used as models for drug screening along with highlighting the challenges associated with LCOs. A comprehensive search was conducted on September 11, 2024, using four databases: Scopus, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science (WOS) using the search term “lung cancer organoids”. Following a literature search, 12 original articles that reported LCOs as a model for drug screening were identified, extracted and systematically analysed. Studies reported that LCOs propagated in a 3D environment were characterized using haematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Mutational landscape profiling determines the tumor phenotypes. High-throughput drug screening using LCOs derived from patients has been employed to rapidly predict the response to numerous drugs. LCOs also contribute to the development of precision medicine, thereby accounting for the wide range of heterogeneity among patients with this complex disease by formulating treatment regimens for specific gene targets. While LCOs offer significant advantages, their applications are accompanied by various challenges that impede their use in clinical settings. Overall, patient-derived lung cancer organoids represent a promising and physiologically relevant platform for drug screening and precision medicine, although further standardization and validation are needed for broader clinical application. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.