KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The TOSCA interventional study aimed to personalize ovarian cancer treatment by employing rapid, patient-derived ex vivo assays to predict effective therapies and minimize side effects.
- The primary endpoint is to assess the viability of establishing OTCS in patients. The secondary endpoint is OTCS accuracy in predicting patients’ treatment response.
- The study is currently recruiting patients, and it could effectively predict patient response to treatment, providing valuable insights within a clinically relevant timeframe.
Epithelial ovarian cancer (OC), a leading cause of gynecological cancer-related deaths in developed countries, faces challenges of late-stage diagnosis and frequent resistance to available treatments. Platinum-refractory and resistant cases, in particular, have limited therapeutic options and poor outcomes. Identifying such patients is crucial to minimize adverse effects and explore more effective treatment strategies. Short-term ex vivo assays offer a patient-centric approach.
Researchers aimed to personalize OC treatment by employing rapid, patient-derived ex vivo assays to predict effective therapies and minimize side effects.
The study aimed to establish Organotypic Tumour Slice Cultures (OTSC) in high-grade serous OC patients. Slices, 350 µm thick, were obtained through precision cutting and cultured in an air-liquid interface for viability preservation. The primary endpoint assesses feasibility, with secondary endpoints focusing on treatment response prediction.
Cell viability pre and post-treatment (carboplatin, paclitaxel, bevacizumab, PARPi, and immunotherapeutic drugs) will be evaluated using redox index and reducing potential measurements via confocal microscopy and real-time luminescence. Additionally, multi-omics characterization of OTSC will explore their mutational and transcriptional landscape. The study will provide insights into short-term assays and molecular features of the tumor microenvironment in high-grade serous OC.
If successful, this study could establish OTSC as a reliable predictor of personalized ovarian cancer treatment responses, offering critical insights within a valuable time frame. The ongoing recruitment holds the potential to improve outcomes for patients facing this challenging disease.
Source: https://www.emma.events/site/programme/?sessiondetail=4534591&trackid=0&a=esgo2023#!
Clinical Trial: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06065358
Trozzi R, Nero C, Buttarelli M, Sillano F, Ripoli C, Sollazzo R, Bianchetti G, De Spirito M, Scambia G. Ovarian tumor organotypic slices cultures for functional drug screening (TOSCA). ESGO 2023 Congress, September 28- October 1.
