BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to pose profound challenges within the field of oncology due to its notorious resistance to existing therapies and constant high mortality rates. The recent emergence of three-dimensional patient-derived organoid (PDO) models marks a significant advancement, opening new avenues for exploring cancer biology and assessing therapeutic approaches.

AIMS: The aim of this study focuses on the innovative use of Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to analyze PDAC organoids, thus illuminating their biochemical intricacies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, PDAC organoids, cultivated from specimens sourced from cancer patients, were subjected to FT-IR spectroscopic imaging. By examining the spectral data within the critical fingerprint region (950-1800 cm-1), and employing principal component analysis (PCA), biochemical disparities were detected and analyzed.

RESULTS: The results revealed distinct spectral profiles corresponding to different sample preparation techniques, which in turn highlighted variations in protein content and structure. PCA revealed a high homogeneity within classes and minimal passage number influence on spectral profiles, with variations in lipid content and protein profiles. Significantly, the biochemical fingerprint of these PDOs closely mirrored that of the original human tissue samples.

CONCLUSION: This investigation underscores the efficacy of molecular spectroscopy as a non-invasive method for profound characterization of PDAC organoids, enhancing our comprehension of tumor biochemistry. The capacity for swift and precise biochemical profiling of PDOs via molecular spectroscopy heralds a promising future for this technique in the realms of cancer diagnostics and personalized medicine.