[Sensitivity testing of anticancer drugs using the human tumor clonogenic assay]

The response to cancer chemotherapy varies from patient to patient with the same histologic type of tumor. However, anticancer drugs are considerably toxic to the patient, and it is therefore very important to have an accurate knowledge of the sensitivity of anticancer drugs against an individual patient's tumor in establishing successful chemotherapy. We have investigated the sensitivity testing of anticancer drugs using the human tumor clonogenic assay since 1980. Specimens were obtained by aspiration of ascites, pleural effusions and bone marrow and by biopsy of primary and metastatic tumors. Drugs tested in the present study were adriamycin, aclarubicin, THP-adriamycin, mitoxantrone, 40497s (an active compound derived from ifosfamide), mitomycin C, cisplatinum and methotrexate. One hundred and fifty-two specimens were obtained from cancer patients and tested for their drug sensitivity using the assay. Of the 152 specimens, 63 (41%) formed more than 30 colonies in control plates and could be used to evaluate drug sensitivity. Of these, 45 instances were evaluable for examination in an in vitro-in vivo association, and 42 (93%) showed a correlation between in vitro sensitivity and clinical response. In summary, the results indicated that the human tumor clonogenic assay was an excellent technique for testing the in vitro sensitivity of anticancer drugs. However, technical developments yielding higher colony efficiency would be required to facilitate practical use of the assay.