Using your tumor cells to find treatments that might work for you
A Patient-Centric Approach to Advance Functional Precision Oncology
['FUNDING_U01'] · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER · NIH-11176720
This project grows a patient's own tumor cells in the lab to test many drugs and help find treatment options for people with biliary tract cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SEATTLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11176720 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Doctors take a sample of your tumor and grow patient-derived tumor organoids (mini-tumors) in the lab that closely match your cancer. They run drug screens and molecular tests on those organoids using a CLIA-approved process to see which medicines the organoids are sensitive or resistant to. Results are compared with past treatments and genetic markers, and promising drug options are shared with your care team. The goal is to use this personalized lab-guided information to help overcome drug resistance and guide treatment choices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with biliary tract cancer who can provide a tumor sample (from biopsy or surgery) and are willing to have their tissue used to grow organoids for drug testing.
Not a fit: Patients without available tumor tissue, whose cancer progresses too quickly to wait for lab results, or whose tumors fail to grow as organoids may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help identify effective, personalized drug options for people whose biliary tract cancer has become resistant to standard therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Early pilot work and retrospective comparisons show organoid drug responses often match clinical responses and a few patients have benefited from organoid-guided drug choices, but larger prospective validation is ongoing.
Where this research is happening
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES
- FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER — SEATTLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KEMP, CHRISTOPHER J — FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER
- Study coordinator: KEMP, CHRISTOPHER J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Biliary Tract Cancer