From:  Precision oncology in the treatment of patients with bone sarcomas: an up-to-date narrative review

 Comparison of three-dimensional tumor modeling platforms in bone sarcoma precision medicine.

Model typeBiological fidelityMain precision applicationKey strengthMain limitation
SpheroidsModerate (hypoxia and diffusion gradients)Rapid drug screeningSimple and scalableLimited matrix and niche realism
Scaffold-based systemsHigh (bone-mimetic stiffness and structure)Local therapy + regenerative integrationMicroenvironment realismManufacturing and clinical translation challenges
PDOsHigh (tumor-intrinsic heterogeneity preserved)Patient-specific drug response testingFunctional therapeutic predictionLimited immune/stromal representation
PDX/PDOX modelsVery high (in vivo architecture)Regimen validation and resistance modelingWhole-tumor fidelityCost, time, murine stroma
Biofabricated/Chip systemsEmerging highSpatial and kinetic drug modelingArchitectural precisionExperimental stage

PDOs: patient-derived organoids; PDX: patient-derived xenograft.