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Utrecht scientists have set up a biobank with living tumor cells of more than 150 breast cancer patients. The biobank enables research into tissues and genetic features of breast cancer tumors (organoids), and gives rise to information regarding the specific characteristics of breast cancer. This way, the mechanism of action of various medicines can be tested in a personal way, without directly exposing the patient to the treatment. That is written in a publication in Cell.

Breast cancer is the most occurring type of cancer in women – it accounts for more than one fifth of all cancer cases. Worldwide, one million women are affected by the disease. In women between 30 and 59 years, it is the most common cause of death.

Personalized medicine
More than twenty distinct forms of breast cancer exist. Moreover, by researching the DNA of these cancer cells, hundreds of genetic variations are discovered. All of these contribute to the development and characteristics of the tumor, but are different in each patient. Current treatments do not have an effect in all patients and still use these characteristics only to a certain extent. Therefore, there is a need for personalized treatments.

Living tumor cells
Scientists, led by prof. dr. Hans Clevers (Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, UMC Utrecht, Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology) and prof. dr. Edwin Cuppen (UMC Utrecht), started a biobank with organoids of more than 100 different breast cancers. These organoids are cultivated from live tumor cells that have been harvested from breast cancer patients during surgery. All breast cancer organoids were characterized regarding tissue type and genetic features.

The organoids offer researchers the possibility to test a broad spectrum of possible therapies per individual patient in the laboratory, and couple these to genetic features. Because this drug research takes place in the organoid and not in the patient’s body, this testing method is fast and safe. Also, the patient experiences no side effects and many medicines can be tested in the same fashion.

The biobank is a valuable strategy in the research into personalized medicines, but due to its size, was difficult to set up. ‘We had to overcome large innovation as well as execution challenges’, says Norman Sachs, researcher at the Hubrecht Institute. ‘It succeeded now for the first time, because the Hubrecht Institute is an ideal environment for scientific innovation. Also, we collaborated with a multitude of external partners to build this unique resource.’

Drug development
In their publication, the researchers describe a collection of well-characterized breast cancer organoids, available for cancer research and drug development. Also, they expose a strategy to show that tumors in a patient’s body respond to medication in the same way as their organoids in the laboratory. Furthermore, based on patterns in the tumor DNA, the researchers predicted the medicines that have the highest chance to be effective. Indeed, the organoids responded to these drugs. Joep de Ligt, bio-informatician and genetics researcher at the UMC Utrecht: ‘This study shows that DNA patterns can play an important role in establishing the right medication to treat a tumor. Increasingly, the DNA will be the starting point for treatments.’