Information for members

 

• Cancer organoids can be grown from most patients, however, further research is required to determine whether the responses of organoids to anti-cancer drugs can predict the likely efficacy of the drugs for each patient. 

• Recent data from Europe and the USA indicate that a combination of patient, genetic and organoid drug response data allow reliable predictions of the drugs which are likely to help patients

• In 2018 ALOA is aiming to start clinical trials in Melbourne to measure the power of the colon and rectal cancer organoid drug sensitivity assays for predicting the responses of patients to specific anti-cancer therapies

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Find out how to participate in ALOA research

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Drug sensitivity tests

 

Once the organoids are grown as multiple cultures in the laboratory. Once they reach a sufficient size ( 2 -6 weeks ) the organoids in individual cultures can be treated with different amounts and combinations of anti-cancer drugs. The organoids are usually treated with the drugs for 3-6 days and the organoid responses are estimated by measuring the changes in size, the number of dead cells or their ability to produce energy. When a cancer organoid produced dead cells at low concentrations of an anti-cancer drug, we predict the patient will achieve a good response to that drug. If the drug has little or no effect on a cancer organoid, we predict that drug will not help the patient.

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