The importance of preclinical models in cholangiocarcinoma

Owen McGreevy; Mohammed Bosakhar; Timothy Gilbert; Marc Quinn; Stephen Fenwick; Hassan Malik; Christopher Goldring; Laura Randle

doi:10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108304

The importance of preclinical models in cholangiocarcinoma

Eur J Surg Oncol. 2024 Mar 27:108304. doi: 10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108304. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Owen McGreevy¹, Mohammed Bosakhar¹, Timothy Gilbert², Marc Quinn², Stephen Fenwick³, Hassan Malik³, Christopher Goldring¹, Laura Randle⁴

Affiliations

¹ The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Sherrington Building, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK.
² The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Sherrington Building, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK; Hepatobiliary Surgery, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, L7 8XP, Liverpool, UK.
³ Hepatobiliary Surgery, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, L7 8XP, Liverpool, UK.
⁴ The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Sherrington Building, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK. Electronic address: Laura.Randle@liverpool.ac.uk.

PMID: 38653585
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108304

Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an adenocarcinoma of the hepatobiliary system with a grim prognosis. Incidence is rising globally and surgery is currently the only curative treatment, but is only available for patients who are fit and diagnosed in an early-stage of disease progression. Great importance has been placed on developing preclinical models to help further our understanding of CCA and potential treatments to improve therapeutic outcomes. Preclinical models of varying complexity and cost have been established, ranging from more simplistic in vitro 2D CCA cell lines in culture, to more complex in vivo genetically engineered mouse models. Currently there is no single model that faithfully recaptures the complexities of human CCA and the in vivo tumour microenvironment. Instead a multi-model approach should be used when designing preclinical trials to study CCA and potential therapies.

Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma; Human; Models; Pre-clinical.