Title:3D Bioprinting and Microfluidic-based Devices for Cancer Detection and Drug Treatment: Focus on Prostate Cancer
Volume: 33
Issue: 8
Author(s): Jay Sibbitts, Lucia Di Pietro, Anna Privitera, Vincenzo Cardaci, Salvatore Maugeri, Massimo Camarda*Giuseppe Caruso*
Affiliation:
- STLab srl, Catania, Italy
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Unit of Neuropharmacology and Translational Neurosciences, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy
Keywords:
Prostate cancer, microfluidics, 3D bioprinting, cancer treatment, antigen detection, circulating tumor cells, in vitro models.
Abstract: The burden of increasing cancer incidence among the population, and, in particular,
of prostate cancer in men living in highly developed countries, brings with it, on
one hand, the need for new devices that allow a faster and earlier diagnosis, ideally in a
non-invasive way and with low consumption of expensive reagents, and on the other the
need for the assessment of new in vitro models that allow a more reliable assessment of
cancer features, including its microenvironment and sensibility to different drugs. At the
crossroads of these features, microfluidic devices are found. These, taking advantage of
the chemical-physical properties of cells and human samples, have demonstrated great
sensitivity and sensibility at an on-chip scale. Many fields of biomedical sciences have
tried to exploit all their potentialities: from the detection of antigens in the early phases
of the disease (when they are very low concentrated, but the treatment is more effective)
to isolation and characterization of circulating tumor cells. However, is in the building
of in vitro 3D models to better assess and comprehend the fundamental dynamics occurring
in the tumor microenvironment and metastasis that 3D bioprinting techniques come
into play. The aim of the present review is to describe the potential of these two different
cutting-edge technologies for the detection and treatment of prostate cancer, in the
perspective of a possible future combination of them that allows scientists to fill the
gaps present in the field to improve patient care and treatment.
