[Chemotherapy sensitivity of gynecologic malignancies determined by the human tumor stem cell assay (HTSCA)]

HTSCA was used to study the chemotherapy sensitivity of gynecological malignant tumors. 34 specimens were obtained from 32 patients. 11 of the 34 specimens (32%) yielded a sufficient number of colonies for testing. On these, 51 separate drug assays were done, each at the 1/10 peak plasma level. 20 drugs were identified as active among 51 drugs tested. Clinical correlations of sensitivity (S) and resistance (R) were studied in 6 patients treated with combination therapies, including drugs selected on the basis of in vitro sensitivity. (formula; see text) We conclude that HTSCA can aid in identifying active drugs for use in designing treatment protocols. However, because of difficulty in preparing a single cell suspension, and the small proportion of tumors suitable for testing, HTSCA will not be used in routine drug sensitivity testing until these drawbacks are eliminated.