Fig. 5

3D culture models for spheroids or tumoroids production. Tumor spheroids are often generated from cell lines, through liquid based-, scaffold based-, microfluidics or bioprinting methods. Depending on the cells added to the model, the tumor spheroid will be mainly composed of cancer cells and other cells and components of the microenvironment can be added. Tumor spheroids often show a round shape. Tumor organoids (or tumoroids) are usually generated from patient tissue samples by using two methods: (i) The submerged culture method that allows the amplification of epithelial cancer stem cells which are then able to produce ECM; (ii) The air–liquid culture method that allows the inclusion of stromal components to the tumoroids. Since tumoroids are self-organizing tissues, they will have a more complex structure than spheroids