A new study tested patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from ascites fluid to improve treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. These 3D organoids, created with an 86% success rate, closely replicated the genetics and structure of patients’ tumors, allowing researchers to predict responses to chemotherapy and targeted drugs. Lab results with cisplatin and PARP inhibitors matched patients’ actual one-year outcomes, and high CD44 expression in organoids indicated platinum resistance.
The study also tested Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (OH2) against drug-resistant cancer cells. OH2 killed both cisplatin-sensitive and resistant organoids, and when combined with cisplatin, it reduced tumor viability more effectively than either treatment alone. Importantly, OH2 targeted CD44⁺ cancer stem cells, which often survive chemotherapy and cause relapse.
Researchers concluded that ascites-derived organoids provide a minimally invasive way to personalize ovarian cancer treatment. Combining OH2 with chemotherapy offers a promising strategy to overcome drug resistance by attacking both regular tumor cells and the stem cells responsible for recurrence.