Table 9 The transformative role of iPSCs in advancing cancer precision medicine

Personalized Therapies

iPSCs can be derived from a patient's own cells, allowing for the creation of personalized cancer models and tailored treatment strategies

iPSCs can capture the genetic and epigenetic diversity of an individual's cancer, enabling more effective and targeted therapies

Generating iPSCs from a cancer patient's tissue and differentiating them into cancer-specific cell types

Ethical and logistical challenges in obtaining and handling patient-derived samples

Establish standardized protocols for iPSC generation and differentiation to streamline the process

[543]

Drug Screening

iPSCs can be used to develop patient-specific cancer models for drug screening, helping identify the most effective treatments with minimal side effects

This approach reduces the risk of adverse reactions and enhances treatment efficacy by simulating the patient's response to different drugs

Cultivating iPSC-derived cancer cells in a lab setting and exposing them to various drug candidates

Variability in iPSC quality and differentiation efficiency

Invest in improved differentiation protocols and quality control measures for iPSC lines

[24]

Cancer Biology Research

iPSCs enable researchers to study cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis in a controlled environment, facilitating a deeper understanding of the disease

By using iPSCs, scientists can dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and identify potential targets for therapy

Inducing iPSCs to develop into specific cancer cell types and conducting in-depth molecular analyses

Complex interactions within cancer cell populations and microenvironments

Develop 3D culture models that better mimic the tumor microenvironment for more accurate research

[545]

Gene Editing and CRISPR

iPSCs can be genetically modified using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to study the impact of specific gene mutations and test potential gene therapies

This approach allows for precise manipulation of genes in iPSC-derived cancer cells, aiding in the development of targeted therapies

Introducing CRISPR-edited mutations into iPSCs and observing their effects on cancer-related pathways

Off-target effects and low editing efficiency in some cases

Improve CRISPR technology for higher precision and efficiency in iPSCs

[546]

Disease Modeling

iPSCs can be differentiated into various cell types to model different cancer types, helping researchers study rare or hard-to-access cancers

This expands the scope of cancer research and allows for a broader understanding of the disease

Generating iPSC-derived models of specific cancer types and studying their characteristics and responses

Variability in differentiation protocols and challenges in mimicking the complexity of real tumors

Collaborate with experts in specific cancer types to refine differentiation protocols and model systems

[546]

Cell Therapy Development

iPSCs can serve as a source for generating patient-specific immune cells or therapeutic cells for cancer treatment, potentially improving the safety and effectiveness of cell-based therapies

Using iPSC-derived immune or therapeutic cells can reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease and enhance the compatibility of cell-based therapies

Differentiating iPSCs into the desired therapeutic cell type and ensuring their safety and efficacy in preclinical studies

Immune rejection and potential tumorigenicity of iPSC-derived cells

Explore methods to enhance immunocompatibility and safety of iPSC-derived cell therapies

[545]