# Construction and application of pancreatic exocrine organoid and spheroid for drug screening and precision medicine

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how 3D models of pancreatic cancer can better mimic real tumors and improve drug testing and personalized treatment.

## Contribution

The paper provides a systematic review of methodologies and applications of pancreatic exocrine 3D models in drug screening and precision medicine.

## Key findings

- 3D models like organoids and spheroids better mimic tumor microenvironment and heterogeneity compared to 2D cultures.
- These models enable rapid drug screening and integration with bioengineering platforms for precision medicine.
- They offer translational potential for clinical decision-making and personalized treatment strategies.

## Abstract

The incidence of pancreatic exocrine disorders, particularly pancreatic cancer, has been steadily rising. However, treatment options remain limited, with substantial interindividual variability in therapeutic efficacy. This clinical challenge has accelerated the development of advanced three-dimensional (3D) modeling systems, with patient-derived organoids and multicellular spheroids emerging as transformative tools that faithfully recapitulate tumor pathophysiology. In contrast to 2D cultures, which fail to recapitulate the three-dimensional spatial architecture and cell-cell interactions found in vivo, these models have gained prominence in pancreatic cancer research due to their unique capacity to: (1) precisely mimic the tumor microenvironment (TME), (2) preserve tumor heterogeneity, and (3) enable rapid establishment. This review systematically examines current methodologies for constructing pancreatic exocrine 3D models, their integration with bioengineering platforms for drug screening, and innovative applications in multi-omics-driven precision medicine. We further evaluate the translational potential of these systems in clinical decision-making and discuss how they may reshape therapeutic paradigms for pancreatic diseases, offering new avenues for personalized treatment strategies.