Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41731502›Full record

ArticleBMC medicine2026

Targeting cancer stem cells predicts response and reverses chemoresistance in ascites-derived ovarian cancer organoids.

Xiaoli Zhang, Wen Zhang, Ying Cui, Qi Zhang, Duo Wan, Ning Li, Kaitai Zhang, Huiqin Guo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Xiaoli Zhang *State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Wen Zhang *Department of Immunology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Ying Cui *Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Qi ZhangState Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Duo WanState Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Ning LiDepartment of Gynecologic Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. liningnci@126.com.
Kaitai ZhangState Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. zhangkt@cicams.ac.cn.
Huiqin GuoDepartment of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. ghqin2006@163.com.

Funding

Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences 2022-I2M-C&T-B-082National Natural Science Foundation of China 81972804
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOvarian cancer (OC) is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, where tumor heterogeneity and rapid development of chemoresistance contribute to a poor prognosis. The lack of reliable predictive biomarkers further hinders the development of effective treatment strategies. Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have recently emerged as promising preclinical models with the potential to predict therapeutic responses.

methodsOC PDOs were generated from ascites samples representing diverse histological subtypes. Histological and genomic fidelity to parental tumors was confirmed through histopathological analysis and whole-exome sequencing. Drug sensitivity to cisplatin and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors was evaluated and correlated with 1-year clinical outcomes. We also investigated the therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic herpes simplex virus 2 (OH2) both as a single agent and in combination with cisplatin. The expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers CD44 and ALDH1A1 under treatment conditions was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.

resultsPDOs were successfully established with an 86.2% success rate. These PDOs faithfully recapitulated the histopathological and genomic features of their corresponding tumors, maintaining intratumoral heterogeneity, and were amenable to xenotransplantation. Drug sensitivity assays demonstrated that PDOs accurately predicted patient-specific responses to cisplatin and PARP inhibitors. OH2 exhibited direct cytotoxicity in both cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant PDOs, reducing cell viability by 20-60%. Notably, the combination treatment with OH2 and cisplatin enhanced antitumor efficacy, resulting in a significant reduction of the CD44

conclusionsAscites-derived OC PDOs represent a robust platform for individualized drug testing. The combination of OH2 and cisplatin offers a novel and effective strategy for circumventing chemoresistance in OC.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsAscitesDrug Resistance, NeoplasmNeoplastic Stem CellsOrganoidsOvarian NeoplasmsAnimalsCisplatinFemaleHumansMiceOncolytic VirotherapyAntineoplastic AgentsCisplatinCancer stem cellsCombination therapyOncolytic herpes simplex virusOvarian cancerPDO

Identifiers

PMID41731502
PMCPMC13037299

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.