2024-10-30 17:37:00
Knowing how cancer arises or finding the best treatment to deal with it is now closer thanks to the unprecedented technical feat of a group of scientists who managed to reconstruct the tumors of 2,000 patients in three dimensions from their biopsies in detail.
<img width="1170" height="752" class="attachment-newpress-featured-large size-newpress-featured-large wp-post-image lazyload" alt="Primeros mapas del cáncer en 3D, un gran paso en los tratamientos personalizados" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" data-attachment-id="359814" data-permalink="https://efesalud.com/cancer-3d-mapas-tratamientos-personalizados/cancer-3d/" data-orig-file="https://efesalud.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CANCER-3d.jpg" data-orig-size="1807,929" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="cáncer, 3D, avances" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="
3D cancer image provided.
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3D cancer image provided.
The discovery, “comparable to when the human genome was deciphered”, according to the director of Biotechnology of the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Fernando Peláez, opens the hope that, in the future, a doctor can introduce a biopsy sample into a device and get a detailed three-dimensional map of a tumor, cancer in 3D, which allows you to make the best decisions to attack it.
For now the step from basic science has already been made and with a significant number of samples to deduce that its conclusions are important: the new atlas of three-dimensional planes of tumors and their environment is based on biopsies of 2,000 patients with different types of breast, colorectal, pancreatic, kidney, uterine and bile duct cancer.
His description, collected this Wednesday in 12 scientific articles in Nature magazinewas carried out by researchers from Human Tumor Atlas Networka research consortium funded by the National Cancer Institute and the US National Institutes of Health.
Visualize the “microenvironment” of the tumor and how it acts
The last decade of oncology research has been characterized by great progress in understanding how cells found in a tumor’s environment act without being tumorous.
In this “tumor microenvironment” there may be blood vessels that supply nutrients or oxygen to the tumor, immune system cells that instead of attacking the cancer are deceived to its advantage, or support cells; and all these agents usually evolve with the tumor.
The three-dimensional plans known today take a giant step towards understanding this “tumor microenvironment”, revealing not only the function of each cell, but also where exactly it is located and what its interaction is with the rest of the cells involved in the development of the tumor. cancer are more or less close to them in the tumor.
“Intuition told us that tumor cells themselves, immune cells and structural cells were involved in the development and evolution of a tumor. Now we have a technique that allows us to clearly verify the role of each of them” , one of them told EFE. of the authors, Li Ding, oncology researcher at Washington State University.
“Three-dimensional visibility allows us to observe not only how each cell acts in the tumor microenvironment, but also how its behavior changes in response to treatment or when the tumor spreads to other organs and metastasizes,” adds Dr. Ding.
Mutations that act together
Being able to see the three-dimensional development of a tumor has made it possible to confirm, among other things, that tumor cells have more activity in the tumor’s nucleus and immune cells at its edges, or that the same tumor may contain areas with different genetic mutations that drive its development.
This could mean that, in some cases, different specific treatments would be needed to address the different mutations that might be present in each area of the cancer.
Colorectal cancer is an example of this, as explained in one of the articles, since researchers have seen how cells can be born with different mutations that act collectively to create the tumor, instead of doing it from a single initial clone as was previously thought until now.
Resistance to immunotherapy
The vision of the cancer in 3D and in detail of the tumors also made it possible to verify how some areas of the tumor have a high activity of the immune cells, the so-called hot regions, and other areas are ‘colder’ due to low or no activity. , no immune activity.
Warm regions tend to respond well to immunotherapies, but cold regions do not, so seeing in such detail where they are located could indicate where and when immunotherapy is effective or not.
Another article, focused on the analysis of breast cancer, saw how each type of breast cancer originates from a different cell type.
In an assessment for EFE, the Director of Biotechnology of CNIOFernando Peláez, underlines that the research reinforces the concept of heterogeneity in cancer: that it is not an equal mass, but a very complex one, in which different mutations can occur in each area, and there are areas with more immune cells and others with fewer .
Each tumor is different and knowing it with the degree of detail that the three-dimensional technique known today can offer will, in the future, make it possible to make the best decisions for the patient through a treatment tailored to each tumor.
#cancer #maps #open #expectations
Interview between Time.news Editor and Dr. Li Ding, Oncology Researcher at Washington State University
Time.news Editor: Welcome, Dr. Ding! We’re excited to have you here today. The recent breakthrough in reconstructing tumors in 3D is such an exhilarating advancement. Can you start by explaining the significance of this study?
Dr. Li Ding: Thank you for having me! The study is significant because it moves us closer to a more personalized approach to cancer treatment. By reconstructing the tumors of 2,000 patients in three dimensions from their biopsies, we can visualize not just the tumor cells, but also the surrounding microenvironment—everything from immune cells to blood vessels. This helps us understand how tumors evolve and respond to treatments.
Time.news Editor: That sounds revolutionary! You compared this discovery to the decoding of the human genome. Can you elaborate on that?
Dr. Li Ding: Absolutely. Just as the decoding of the human genome opened up new pathways for understanding genetics and developing targeted therapies, this 3D mapping of tumors provides a new dimension—literally and figuratively—in understanding cancer biology. We can now see how different types of cells interact within the tumor environment, improving our ability to tailor treatment strategies to individual patients.
Time.news Editor: It’s fascinating how this research also reveals the role of the tumor microenvironment. What have you learned about these interactions so far?
Dr. Li Ding: One of the key findings is that cells in the tumor microenvironment, such as immune cells, often play roles that benefit the tumor instead of fighting it. For instance, we observed that immune cells can be deceived by tumor cells, allowing the tumor to thrive. Our three-dimensional maps give us a better understanding of these complex interactions and how they change in response to treatments.
Time.news Editor: It sounds like the technology isn’t just advancing our knowledge but has practical implications for treatment methods as well. Could you give an example of how this could change the treatment landscape for specific cancers?
Dr. Li Ding: Definitely! Take colorectal cancer, for example. Our research showed that tumor areas can exhibit different mutations, meaning that a single tumor may require multiple treatment strategies tailored to its distinct regions. Understanding the spatial distribution of these mutations allows us to create more effective, targeted therapies that address the tumor’s heterogeneity.
Time.news Editor: This is a game-changer! How do you envision this technology being implemented in clinical settings in the future?
Dr. Li Ding: In the future, I envision a scenario where doctors can simply input a patient’s biopsy sample into a specialized device that quickly generates a detailed 3D map of the tumor. This tool would provide critical insights that help oncologists decide on the most effective treatment plan tailored to that specific cancer, enhancing precision medicine approaches.
Time.news Editor: That sounds incredible. As we wrap up, what do you see as the next steps in this line of research?
Dr. Li Ding: The next steps involve further validating our findings with larger and more diverse patient cohorts. Additionally, we aim to develop more sophisticated imaging technologies and computational models to enhance our understanding of tumor dynamics over time and in response to treatment. The ultimate goal is to ensure that this powerful technology can benefit all cancer patients.
Time.news Editor: Thank you, Dr. Ding, for sharing your insights and the excitement around this groundbreaking research. It’s a hopeful time in the world of oncology!
Dr. Li Ding: Thank you! It was my pleasure to discuss this important development. Together, we can improve cancer treatment and outcomes for patients everywhere.