Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research

Tumor organoids have emerged as transformative tools in cancer research, enabling the study of tumor biology and immunology in a physiologically relevant, three-dimensional in vitro environment. Derived from patient tumor samples, these self-organizing structures recapitulate the histological and ge...

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Main Authors: Jing Ma, Jianping Song, Zhuolong Zhou, Qi Si, Shuhan Tao, Jizhun Wu, Zhengxing Li, Xiaohang Feng, Tiantian Kong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-07-01
Series:Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Online Access:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/13/7/e011733.full
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author Jing Ma
Jianping Song
Zhuolong Zhou
Qi Si
Shuhan Tao
Jizhun Wu
Zhengxing Li
Xiaohang Feng
Tiantian Kong
author_facet Jing Ma
Jianping Song
Zhuolong Zhou
Qi Si
Shuhan Tao
Jizhun Wu
Zhengxing Li
Xiaohang Feng
Tiantian Kong
author_sort Jing Ma
collection DOAJ
description Tumor organoids have emerged as transformative tools in cancer research, enabling the study of tumor biology and immunology in a physiologically relevant, three-dimensional in vitro environment. Derived from patient tumor samples, these self-organizing structures recapitulate the histological and genetic heterogeneity of tumors and their microenvironment, offering significant advantages over traditional two-dimensional cell cultures and animal models. This work provides a comprehensive overview of tumor organoid generation, their characteristics, and their use as models to study tumor-immune interactions. We discuss how tumor organoids faithfully recapitulate tumor heterogeneity, support immune cell infiltration, and simulate immunosuppressive environments, making them ideal platforms for investigating immunotherapy strategies. Emerging technologies, including advanced imaging and single-cell analysis, as well as gene editing tools, further enhance the utility of tumor organoids in dissecting immune-tumor interactions at unprecedented resolution. We also highlight the translational potential of tumor organoids in preclinical immunotherapy research. Organoids offer a promising approach for predicting patient response to immunotherapy and developing personalized treatment strategies. As tumor organoid technology continues to evolve, its application in clinical settings holds great promise for advancing cancer immunotherapy, improving patient outcomes, and overcoming the challenges of drug resistance. Finally, the future direction of tumor organoid development is speculated according to current challenges.
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series Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
spelling doaj-art-13162c8e9b2b43d19bb74005c163931b2025-08-20T03:11:55ZengBMJ Publishing GroupJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2051-14262025-07-0113710.1136/jitc-2025-011733Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational researchJing Ma0Jianping Song1Zhuolong Zhou2Qi Si3Shuhan Tao4Jizhun Wu5Zhengxing Li6Xiaohang Feng7Tiantian Kong82 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China1 Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, ChinaTumor organoids have emerged as transformative tools in cancer research, enabling the study of tumor biology and immunology in a physiologically relevant, three-dimensional in vitro environment. Derived from patient tumor samples, these self-organizing structures recapitulate the histological and genetic heterogeneity of tumors and their microenvironment, offering significant advantages over traditional two-dimensional cell cultures and animal models. This work provides a comprehensive overview of tumor organoid generation, their characteristics, and their use as models to study tumor-immune interactions. We discuss how tumor organoids faithfully recapitulate tumor heterogeneity, support immune cell infiltration, and simulate immunosuppressive environments, making them ideal platforms for investigating immunotherapy strategies. Emerging technologies, including advanced imaging and single-cell analysis, as well as gene editing tools, further enhance the utility of tumor organoids in dissecting immune-tumor interactions at unprecedented resolution. We also highlight the translational potential of tumor organoids in preclinical immunotherapy research. Organoids offer a promising approach for predicting patient response to immunotherapy and developing personalized treatment strategies. As tumor organoid technology continues to evolve, its application in clinical settings holds great promise for advancing cancer immunotherapy, improving patient outcomes, and overcoming the challenges of drug resistance. Finally, the future direction of tumor organoid development is speculated according to current challenges.https://jitc.bmj.com/content/13/7/e011733.full
spellingShingle Jing Ma
Jianping Song
Zhuolong Zhou
Qi Si
Shuhan Tao
Jizhun Wu
Zhengxing Li
Xiaohang Feng
Tiantian Kong
Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
title Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research
title_full Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research
title_fullStr Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research
title_full_unstemmed Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research
title_short Tumor organoids in immunotherapy: from disease modeling to translational research
title_sort tumor organoids in immunotherapy from disease modeling to translational research
url https://jitc.bmj.com/content/13/7/e011733.full
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