Mayo Clinic Advances Uveal Melanoma Research with Innovative Organoid Models

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have created patient-derived organoid models to study uveal melanoma, a prevalent form of eye cancer. These models aim to provide deeper insights into the disease and to develop more effective treatments.

Understanding Patient-Derived Organoids

Organoids are three-dimensional cell cultures grown from patient tissue. They replicate the patient’s genetic and biological traits, acting as personalized “avatars” of human disease. When derived from a patient’s tumor, these organoids can mimic the tumor’s behavior and response to treatments outside the body.

The Urgency of Uveal Melanoma Research

In half of all cases, uveal melanoma spreads to other parts of the body, resulting in a poor prognosis. Current treatments often have limited effectiveness, leaving patients with few options.

“The hope is that these patient-derived organoid models better represent human cancer in the laboratory. Using these models as a foundation for drug testing will facilitate new treatment discoveries with higher success rates in clinical trials, ultimately translating to improved outcomes for patients with uveal melanoma.”

Lauren Dalvin, M.D., a Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center ocular oncologist and surgeon-scientist, a lead researcher on the project

Overcoming Past Limitations

Past studies have relied on the same set of commercially available cancer cell lines, which often fail to accurately represent the complexity of human tumors. This limitation hindered the identification of effective treatment targets.

Development of the Organoid Biobank

Dr. Lauren Dalvin and Dr. Martin Fernandez-Zapico led a team to develop a uveal melanoma patient-derived organoid biobank, which was reported in the Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. This biobank includes organoids from patients treated at Mayo Clinic’s ocular oncology program between 2019 and 2024.

Significance of the Organoid Model

The organoid models retained the clinically relevant features of the original tumors and clustered into appropriate molecular groups. They also closely resembled human disease when compared to animal models, making them an excellent foundation for drug testing.

Expanding the Biobank

Researchers are expanding the biobank to include other research centers worldwide. This collaboration aims to capture the global epigenomic variability of uveal melanoma, serving as a comprehensive platform for future drug screening research.

Future of Organoid Research

Mayo Clinic’s organoid research extends beyond uveal melanoma, aiming to develop models of other human organs. This approach has the potential to accelerate precision medicine and discover cures for various diseases.

Impact on Medical Research

By using organoids, scientists can track disease progression, identify potential treatments, and characterize these treatments. This innovative technique is transforming the field of biomedical research.

Conclusion

The development of patient-derived organoid models by Mayo Clinic marks a significant advancement in the study of uveal melanoma. These models promise to provide deeper insights into the disease and facilitate the development of more effective treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

This research exemplifies the cutting-edge work happening at Mayo Clinic, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in medical science and paving the way for future breakthroughs.