Lab-grown lung cancer cells show potential to revolutionise treatment

The model could lead to more targeted treatments for the disease

Cancer Research scientists have developed a new cell-based model of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), a type of lung cancer, which has the potential to develop more effective treatments for the disease as well as other cancers.

Conducted at the Cancer Research Manchester Institute, the study turned healthy donor lung cells into cancerous cells. The process was replicated across all three donors using techniques including CRISPR gene editing. The discovery could lead to more targeted treatments for the disease, and other cancers if the modelling technique is applied effectively.

Despite LUSC being one of the main types of non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer, understanding and treatment options remain limited. According to NHS data, only one in five lung cancer patients in England survive the disease for five years or more.

“Patients have poor survival outcomes, and those treated successfully can face long-term side effects,” said Cancer Research UK’s Executive Director of Research and Innovation, Iain Foulkes.

Additionally, the LUSC model has the potential to improve early detection of the disease. It replicates early stages of the cancer, allowing clinicians to spot initial signs and development in patients.

The cell-based modelling technique may also improve the efficiency and scale of other modelling experiments by replacing animal testing with laboratory models. Trials on animals are not always reproducible in humans, inhibiting further experimentation.

Foulkes commented on the significant potential of the modelling technique: “Research like this opens the door to better visualise the efficacy of drug treatments on cancer cells.”

Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute Fellow, Carlos Lopez-Garcia, said: “With this new strategy to model LUSC, we are in a much better position to understand how this disease progresses. Developments like these accelerate research on new therapies and improve existing ones, powering us through clinical advancements for years to come.”