Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Models in a Mouse Phantom for Radiotherapy Research

This study presents a novel approach to radiotherapy research by using a micro-extrusion bioprinting technique to create a 3D human lung cancer model, which is embedded with lung tumor cells and human primary lung fibroblasts. These models are placed in a mouse phantom, a 3D-printed structure that mimics the X-ray radiation attenuation of mice, to replace traditional animal models and address ethical concerns. The research demonstrated that the 3D model showed a selective cytotoxic effect of X-rays on tumor cells, aligning with results from 2D cell studies. Additionally, the 3D model within the phantom exhibited different metabolic activity, cell death, apoptosis, and DNA damage responses compared to models without the phantom and 2D cells, suggesting that this setup provides a more physiologically relevant system for studying radiation effects.