Recent advances in 3D cell culture models in cancer drug development

Abstract Background In vitro cell culture models are widely used in cancer drug development. However, traditional two-dimensional (2D) models do not replicate the complex characteristics of the tumour microenvironment. Three-dimensional (3D) culture models have been used to prepare cell spheroids that are increasingly used in drug screening and evaluation due to their greater capacity to mimic tumour properties. Area covered This review discusses the methods used to generate 3D cell systems and their applications in cancer research. There are several methods used in the generation of 3D culture models, including forced floating and matrix-based methods. However, bioprinting technologies have emerged more recently as novel approaches to generate 3D culture models that can better mimic tumour physiology. 3D models are used to evaluate the activities of drugs in a wide variety of cancer types, although they have not yet been widely applied in the case of rarer cancers. Expert opinion 3D culture models have a number of desirable features that are advantageous in anti-cancer drug development. However, some methods of spheroid production have issues of inherent non-reproducibility and inconsistency, while bioprinting technology generally has more favourable features. Thus, newer optimised technologies will improve the physiochemical properties of spheroids, which may promote their application in cancer drug development.