Currently, because there are no effective biomarkers for biliary tract cancer, chemotherapy with antitumor drugs is used for cases that are difficult to detect early and are difficult to treat by surgical resection.However, treatment results are inadequate, many biliary tract cancers are resistant to current antitumor drugs, and little cure with chemotherapy can be expected.In addition, these antitumor drugs are highly cytotoxic, and serious side effects significantly reduce the patient's quality of life (QOL).The absence of a clear model that fully reflects the nature of biliary tract cancer is one of the obstacles to new drug development.

　In recent years, organoid culture technology has been developed in which tissue stem cells and cancer stem cells are three-dimensionally cultured and the tissues and tumors are reproduced in a culture dish.Using this technique, the research group succeeded in culturing a patient's biliary tract cancer cells for a long period of one year or longer while preserving their properties in vitro.By combining the results of genetic analysis of established organoids (cultured cells of biliary tract cancer) and clinical data, the SOX3, KLK1, and CPB2 genes were identified as new biomarkers for predicting the prognosis of biliary tract cancer patients.As a result of drug screening using established organoids, it was revealed that the therapeutic agents for ringworm, amorolfine and fenticonazole, suppress the growth of biliary tract cancer cells.

　Since amorolfine and fenticonazole are commercially available compounds, their safety has already been confirmed.It is expected to be a candidate for a new preventive / therapeutic drug that efficiently suppresses biliary tract cancer with minimal side effects.

Paper information:[Cell Reports] Establishment of patient-derived organoids and drug screening for biliary tract carcinoma