[Developments in the experimental methods of evaluating hypoxic cell sensitizers]

Recent developments in the evaluation methods for hypoxic cell sensitizers were reported with emphasis on the following 3 points. (1) A new sensitizer-screening system consisting of the EMT 6 single cell, spheroid, and solid tumor was proposed by us and was found to be a useful, sophisticated system. (2) In the in vivo experiments, irradiation conditions for mice and the drug dose level influenced the hypoxic fraction of tumors significantly. Investigators must always take these facts into consideration when doing in vivo experiments. (3) Three new compounds recently developed in Japan proved to be superior to misonidazole.