Title:

Regulating Ovarian Cancer Growth; Tuning 2D Hydrogel Mechanical and Biochemical Properties

The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 87 women will develop ovarian cancer, emphasizing the urgent need for accessible and advanced treatment options. However, the personalized nature of ovarian cancer as well as difficulties that come with early detection before migration often results in treatments, such as chemotherapy, that are costly and potentially harmful. To address this challenge, a novel approach is proposed: the use of extracellular matrix (ECM)-infused hydrogels as a testing platform to tailor cancer cell responses to individual patient needs. While this method requires further development before clinical application, this paper explores preliminary studies conducted with these hydrogels. Composed of the polysaccharide dextran methacrylate (Dex-MA), the hydrogels’ stiffness was modulated using UV radiation. Two ECM proteins were incorporated to influence cancer cell growth across varying stiffness conditions. Over the summer, cancer cell growth was observed and appeared to be affected by both ECM protein exposure and hydrogel stiffness. However, obtaining confocal microscopy images proved challenging due to the cells’ adverse reactions to the staining process, preventing data collection in this form. When future studies overcome these obstacles and potentially maintain current trends, this platform could align in vitro cancer cell models more closely with patient-specific profiles, enhancing biomimicry for drug testing. By leveraging this innovative approach, more tailored and effective treatments for ovarian cancer could be developed, potentially improving patient outcomes. This strategy holds promise for transforming cancer treatment development and administration, paving the way for more accessible and impactful personalized medicine.

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