Droplet microfluidics integrated with machine learning reveals how adipose-derived stem cells modulate endocrine response and tumor heterogeneity in ER + breast cancer.

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Approximately 70% of breast cancer (BC) diagnoses are estrogen receptor positive (ER + ) with ∼40% of ER + BC patients presenting de novo resistance to endocrine therapy (ET). Recent studies identify the tumor microenvironment (TME) as having a key role in endocrine resistance in which adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) play an essential role in cancer progression. Prior studies have indicated that ASC characteristics such as age and BMI may play a role in cancer progression. Unfortunately, most studies on ASC-BC cross talk have relied on established two-dimensional (2D) culture systems or the use of conditioned media that cannot replicate the complexity of the three-dimensional (3D) environment. This study used a microfluidic droplet trapping array and thiol-acrylate (TA) hydrogel scaffold to co-culture ER + BC cells and ASCs as individual 3D spheroids (single culture) or organoids (co-culture) in a single device. Endocrine response was interrogated in both spheroids and organoids through the evaluation of proliferation following treatment with the selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) fulvestrant (ICI 182 780) followed by 17β-estradiol (E2). Terminal immunostaining for the proliferation marker (Ki67) was performed to evaluate how the presence of ASCs from different donor backgrounds (age and BMI) can modulate endocrine response. Results demonstrated that organoids contai

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

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