Gharia J, Pimplaskar S, Prajapati A. Revolutionizing cancer care: Bioprinting prostate cancer stem cells for targeted treatments. World J Clin Oncol 2025; 16(7): 107007 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i7.107007]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Akhilesh Prajapati, PhD, Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Division of Biotechnology, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, Gujarat, India. akhileshbiotech06@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jaimina Gharia, Shriya Pimplaskar, Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, Gujarat, India
Akhilesh Prajapati, Department of Life Sciences, Division of Biotechnology, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, Gujarat, India
Co-first authors: Jaimina Gharia and Shriya Pimplaskar.
Author contributions: Gharia J, Pimplaskar S, and Prajapati A jointly contributed to the design, discussion, and writing of the review manuscript; AP conceptualized the idea for the review, prepared the study summaries, supervised the overall work, and critically revised the manuscript.
Supported by GSBTM, DST Government of Gujarat for Financial Support to the Prostate Cancer Research Project at GSFC University, Vadodara, No. GSBTM/RSS/E-FILE/30/2024/0021/04306791.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Akhilesh Prajapati, PhD, Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Division of Biotechnology, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara 391750, Gujarat, India. akhileshbiotech06@gmail.com
Received: March 13, 2025 Revised: April 22, 2025 Accepted: June 3, 2025 Published online: July 24, 2025 Processing time: 131 Days and 20.7 Hours
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa), one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide, presents significant challenges due to its heterogeneity and the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which contribute to therapy resistance and metastasis. Advances in three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting have ushered in a new era of precision medicine by enabling the recreation of complex tumor microenvironments. This review highlights the transformative potential of 3D bioprinting technology in modelling prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities and develop targeted treatments. By integrating bioinks with PCSCs and their niche components, 3D bioprinting offers a robust platform to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying PCa progression and resistance. Furthermore, it allows high-throughput drug screening, cellular cross talks, facilitating the discovery of novel interventions aimed at eradicating CSCs while preserving healthy tissue. The review also discusses the challenges of scalability, bioink optimization, and clinical translation, alongside emerging technologies such as organ-on-chip systems and bioprinted metastatic models. This review underscores the promise of bioprinting as a disruptive innovation in cancer care, capable of redefining therapeutic approaches and offering hope for better patient outcomes in PCa.
Core Tip: Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is revolutionizing prostate cancer (PCa) research by replicating tumor microenvironments, enabling drug screening, and advancing personalized medicine. By mimicking the extracellular matrix and incorporating stromal and immune components, bioprinted models enhance physiological relevance. This technology facilitates targeted therapies by screening novel drugs tailored to individual patient profiles. However, challenges such as scalability, bioink optimization, and regulatory frameworks remain. Advances in microfluidic-assisted printing and artificial intelligence driven optimization can improve reproducibility. Integrating bioprinted models with organ-on-a-chip systems further enhances translational research. Collaborative efforts will accelerate clinical applications, positioning 3D bioprinting as a game-changer in personalized PCa treatment.
