Integration of Tumor Microenvironment in Patient-Derived Organoid Models Help Define Precision Medicine of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common urological tumor, with a poor prognosis, as the result of insensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. About 20%–30% of patients with RCC have metastasis at the first diagnosis, so only systemic treatment is possible. Due to the heterogeneity of renal tumors, responses to drugs differ from person to person. Consequently, patient-derived organoid, highly recapitulating tumor heterogeneity, becomes a promising model for high-throughput ex vivo drug screening and thus guides the drug choice of patients with RCC. Systemic treatment of RCC mainly targets the tumor microenvironment, including neovasculature and immune cells. We reviewed several methods with which patient-derived organoid models mimic the heterogeneity of not only tumor epithelium but also the tumor microenvironment. We further discuss some new aspects of the development of patient-derived organoids, preserving in vivo conditions in patients with RCC.