Exploring the Application of 3D Bioprinting for Personalized Treatment in Primary Liver Cancer With Tumor Microenvironment

Primary liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), represents a major global health burden, with high incidence and mortality rates. It ranks among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, due largely to late diagnosis and limited therapeutic efficacy. Conventional treatment selection often relies on generalized guidelines rather than individualized response prediction, leading to suboptimal outcomes.

The necessity of utilizing in vitro 3D bioprinting of patient-derived tumor tissue for drug sensitivity testing lies in its ability to closely mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment. This technology allows for the evaluation of therapeutic agents against a biologically relevant model before clinical administration, enabling personalized treatment strategies. Such an approach holds promise for improving drug response prediction, reducing ineffective treatments, and ultimately enhancing patient survival and quality of life.

Therefore, integrating 3D-bioprinted tumor models into pharmacotyping represents a significant advance toward precision oncology in primary liver cancer management.

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Key information

Conditions

Primary Liver Cancer Adenocarcinoma Carcinoma Carcinoma, Hepatocellular Digestive System Diseases Digestive System Neoplasms Liver Diseases Liver Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Histologic Type Neoplasms by Site Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Peking Union Medical College hospital

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100730, China

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Individuals with a clinical and pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer are deemed eligible for this study. Clinical physicians will meticulously record the medical histories, restricting inclusion to patients aged 18 years and above.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria encompass individuals with concomitant malignancies or severe comorbidities. Patients incapable of providing autonomous informed consent are ineligible for participation. All participants will undergo adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by surgical resection, as part of the treatment protocol for localized gastric cancer.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Correlation of Drug Sensitivity in In Vitro Tumor Models with Clinical Response in Patients

Time frame: From enrollment to end within 2 weeks
- Response of 3D tumor models to chemotherapy drugs identical to those administered to corresponding patients: Researchers will establish and culture 3D printed liver cancer models and treat them with the same chemotherapy drugs used for the corresponding patients. Following treatment, the viability of the 3D tumor models will be observed, and the IC50 of each drug will be calculated. The correlation between the sensitivity of the 3D models and the patients' responses will be analyzed.
- Response of Liver cancer Patients to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: For patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery, the response to such treatment will be assessed based on clinical imaging results, the Mandard-TRG criteria, and the RECIST score.

Secondary outcomes

Response of Gastric Cancer Patients to Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Time frame: Up to 2 years

The response to adjuvant chemotherapy will be assessed based on disease-free survival (DFS) or Overall Survival (OS). Regular follow-ups will be conducted. DFS is defined as the interval between the date of surgery and the date of the last follow-up or the date of recurrence/progression.Overall survival (OS) is delineated as the temporal span from the date of surgery to the date of death or the date of the last follow-up, whichever occurs first.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Exploring the Application of 3D Bioprinting Technology in Constructing Preclinical Models of Primary Liver Cancer for Drug Sensitivity Testing and Its Significance in Personalized Treatment and Explore The Tumor Microenvironment to Resistance for Liver Cancer

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2027
First posted: Feb 27, 2026
Registry last updated: Feb 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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