A Roadmap for 3D Models in Precision Prostate Cancer Oncology

Unveiling the Clinical Potential of Prostate Cancer Three-dimensional Models: A Systematic Review - April 2026 in European Urology Oncology.

Researchers from the Prolactin and Growth Hormone Pathophysiology laboratory, directed by Vincent Goffin, in collaboration with clinicians from several French Urology Departments, published a comprehensive systematic review in European Urology Oncology (an official Journal of the European Association of Urology) evaluating a decade of research on patient-derived 3D models of prostate cancer. In this work led by Dr Charles Dariane, Drs Arthur Peyrottes and Norbert de Brek (co-first authors) establish a clinical roadmap for integrating organoids and tissue slices into the future of personalized prostate cancer care.

Prostate cancer remains a highly heterogeneous disease, making the prediction of therapeutic response a major clinical challenge. While traditional 2D cell cultures often fail to replicate the complex spatial architecture and biochemical gradients of real tumors, patient-derived 3D models—such as organoids and tumoroids—have emerged as a more relevant alternative.

In this study, the researchers synthesized data from 55 original reports to assess the feasibility and fidelity of these platforms. Their analysis reveals that these "mini-tumors" maintain a high degree of genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic concordance with the original patient tumors, preserving critical driver alterations in androgen receptor signaling and DNA repair pathways. The review highlights how these models serve as powerful engines for functional precision oncology. By testing standard-of-care treatments—such as enzalutamide, taxanes, and PARP inhibitors—directly on patient-derived organoids, researchers can accurately recapitulate clinical responses and identify novel biomarkers like EZH2 or HER3 for targeted therapies.

Beyond their biological relevance, these 3D systems align with the 3R principles (Replace, Reduce, Refine) by providing a scalable alternative to labor-intensive animal models. While challenges in standardization and the integration of the tumor microenvironment remain, this work provides a strategic framework for clinicians to optimize treatment selection and improve outcomes for patients with advanced or treatment-resistant disease.

The prostate cancer organoid program ongoing in the Goffin's team by Charles Dariane, Jacques-Emmanuel Guidotti and Emeline Pacreau, is supported by the 'OrganoProst' Idex Emergence grant (PI: C. Dariane) from the Université Paris Cité. 

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Source: *Peyrottes A, *de Brek N, Vieira Aleixo A-S, Baboudjian M, Anract J, Roupret M, Timsit M-O, Méjean A, Guidotti J-E, Goffin V and Dariane C. Unveiling the Clinical Potential of Prostate Cancer Three-dimensional Models: A Systematic Review. European Urology Oncology (2026). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euo.2026.03.007

Frontpage Image credits: Samuel Sollier