Review outlines how single-cell technologies are decoding the complexity of biliary tract cancers for better therapies

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are notably aggressive and present significant treatment challenges within the realm of gastrointestinal malignancies. A primary impediment to enhancing patient outcomes is the intricate heterogeneity of these tumors and their associated microenvironments, which have been elusive to decipher using conventional methodologies.

A recent review article in Molecular Biomedicine, authored by a team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, provides a comprehensive examination of how single-cell multi-omics technologies are revolutionizing our understanding of BTCs. These cutting-edge technologies empower researchers to delve into the genetic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic facets of individual cells within a tumor.

The review amalgamates evidence demonstrating the utility of single-cell approaches in:

The objective is to identify a variety of molecular subtypes and delineate the evolutionary trajectories of distinct tumor cell clones.

The intricate cellular ecosystem of the tumor microenvironment, comprising interactions among cancer cells, immune cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts, plays a pivotal role in cancer progression and therapy resistance.

This study aims to uncover the role of metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic alterations in tumor cells in facilitating immune evasion.

"The integration of data across diverse molecular layers transitions our understanding of tumors from a simplistic perspective to a nuanced, high-resolution atlas," noted Mengyao Li, one of the review's corresponding authors. "This transformation is vital for advancing personalized treatment strategies." The authors delve into the translation of these insights into clinical applications, guiding the utilization of targeted and immunotherapies. Additionally, they discuss how patient-derived organoids (PDOs) serve as models for assessing drug sensitivity.

Despite the considerable advancements, the review indicates that there are still unresolved challenges, including technical constraints in sample processing and data analysis. The authors advocate for more extensive, multi-center studies and the incorporation of artificial intelligence to fully exploit the potential of single-cell multi-omics in overcoming biliary tract cancers.

See the article:

Single-cell multi-omics in biliary tract cancers: decoding heterogeneity, microenvironment, and treatment strategies

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43556-025-00330-2