Novel organoid model in drug screening: Past, present, and future

Abstract Advances in the field of stem cells have led to the development of a technology called organoids. Organoids are cell cluster structures formed by the cultivation of stem cells in a three-dimensional environment in vitro, and they can simulate the living environment of cells in vivo. Organoids play an important role in the screening of drugs for tumor therapy. Compared with traditional drug screening models, tumor organoid models derived from patient tumors have higher sensitivity, heterogeneity, and stability and can restore the real situation of tumors more effectively. Researchers have conducted a number of researches on the feasibility of using organoid technology in drug screening. By testing and comparing the effects of antitumor drugs in organoids and primary tumors, we can select the most appropriate treatment drugs for patients. In the past ten years, organoids from dozens of tissues and biological sample banks from several main organs have been established, and a large number of anticancer drugs have been screened out. This article summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of traditional drug screening models, discusses the development history of organoid technology, and reviews the research results on organoids from tumor drug screening. In addition, the combination of organoid technology and other modern biotechnologies is put forward to further promote the role of organoid technology in the medical field. Finally, this article reviews the history, progress, and prospect on organoids from the view of antitumor drug screening.