[Flow cytometric analysis, mechanism of action and evaluation of viability by antineoplastic agents]

Since the cell cycle of tumor cells is evaluable with the aid of flow cytometry, the mechanism of action of antineoplastic agents has readily been analyzed based on the changes of the cell cycle by antineoplastic agents. Propidium iodide had been a conventional staining method for such analysis, but after the introduction of DNA/BrdU double staining method using BrdU, it has become much easier. For evaluating antineoplastic agents, simultaneous measurement by FDA of the viability of the tumor cells is important. In vitro studies of the action mechanism and the antineoplastic effects of 5-FU, ACNU, IFN, PG, CDDP, PEP, and HCFU have been reported previously elsewhere. Similar action mechanism has been confirmed in clinical studies, in which optimal agent was selected by the sensitivity test using flow cytometry, and thus selected agent was actually given to tumor patients. In analyzing antineoplastic agents in vitro, concomitant and total evaluation of DNA-histogram and viability by flow cytometry is needed in the future.