3D printing of cancer models for drug discovery: Advancements, challenges, and future perspectives

The advent of 3D printing technology has a great role in cancer research, offering massive opportunities for drug delivery and development. This commentary provides a well-detailed review of the advancements in 3D printing of cancer models, details their application in imitating the complex tumor microenvironment, and enables more meticulous pre-clinical drug testing. We discuss the various 3D printing techniques like “stereolithography”, “selective laser sintering”, and “fused deposition modeling” with their advantages, effects, and limitations. The commentary also makes headway on the critical problem in these vascular networks. In extension, we explore the future perspectives of 3D-printed cancer models, emphasizing the potential for personalized medicine and high–throughput screening. By accentuating these advancements and challenges, we aim to provide a roadmap for future research and development in the use of 3D printing for cancer drug discovery, contributing to more effective and patient-centric cancer treatments.