Patient-derived explants as tumor models

Tumors contain heterogeneous neoplastic cells and diverse stromal elements that collectively function as dynamic ecosystems, and this complicates predictive modeling ex vivo. LeBlanc et al. utilize single-cell analysis to demonstrate that patient-derived explants replicate tumor cell diversity and transient stromal cell types in patient surgical specimens. This suggests that patient-derived explants can be valuable as tumor models.

Automated summary

Tumors are dynamic ecosystems with heterogeneous neoplastic cells and diverse stromal elements, posing challenges for ex vivo predictive modeling. Single-cell analysis reveals that patient-derived explants can replicate the diversity of tumor cells and transient stromal cell types found in patient surgical specimens, suggesting their value as tumor models.