CCBIO webinar: Hege F. Berg

Hege F. Berg
Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen

Endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy of the female reproductive system in countries with high developmental index. Standard treatment for endometrial cancer is surgery, with adjuvant chemotherapy given for high risk or advanced disease. Still, 15-20% of patients experience recurrence. Alternative treatment options for this patient group are few and targeted drugs have not yet reached the clinic for endometrial cancer patients. To bridge the gap between bench and clinic, more advanced cellular models are emerging, such as 3D tumor organoids that mimic the molecular features of the matched patient tissue. Multiple co-clinical trials have demonstrated similar drug responses between patients and their corresponding organoid model, implying a great potential of organoids in translational research. Cancer modeling and the establishment of a new preclinical platform for endometrial cancer will be discussed. This includes the establishment of patient-derived endometrial cancer organoids and organoid-based xenograft models. The models are profiled at DNA, RNA and protein levels, and molecular features mimic the corresponding patient tissue. The clinical relevance of these models is further evaluated by treatment with conventional chemotherapy and they are currently used in testing of targeted therapies.

Chairperson: Harsh Nitin Dongre, CCBIO