Why Do Cancer Drugs Affect Everyone Differently?

Researchers from Microsoft and the Broad Institute have published a study in Nature Methods aimed at understanding why identical cancer drugs affect patients with similar tumors differently. The research, part of the Project Ex Vivo initiative in collaboration with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, focuses on "cell state" — how cancer cells behave and respond to their environment. Cell state can influence treatment sensitivity, the speed at which resistance develops, and the aggressiveness of the disease. For example, pancreatic cancer exhibits two types of cell states, but laboratory models often reflect only one, leading to discrepancies with real-world results. AI models trained on diverse cell states yield better outcomes than simply scaling up data. The project aims to improve treatment selection and develop new therapies that target the alteration of tumor state.