Cancer cell biology research in general and anti-cancer drug development specifically still
relies on standard cell culture techniques that place the cells in an unnatural environment. As
a consequence growing tumor cells in plastic dishes places a selective pressure that
substantially alters their original molecular and phenotypic properties.The emerging field of
regenerative medicine has developed bioengineered tissue platforms that can better mimic the
structure and cellular heterogeneity of in vivo tissue and are suitable for tumor
bioengineering research. Microengineering technologies have resulted in advanced methods for
creating and culturing 3-D human tissue. By encapsulating the respective cell type or combining
several cell types to form tissues these model organs can be viable for longer periods of time
and are cultured to develop functional properties similar to native tissues. This approach
recapitulates the dynamic role of cell-cell cell-ECM and mechanical interactions inside the
tumor. Further incorporation of cells representative of the tumor stroma such as endothelial
cells (EC) and tumor fibroblasts can mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment. Collectively
bioengineered tumors create an important resource for the in vitro study of tumor growth in 3D
including tumor biomechanics and the effects of anti-cancer drugs on 3D tumor tissue. These
technologies have the potential to overcome current limitations to genetic and histological
tumor classification and development of personalized therapies.
