Cell cultures and their use in drug sensitivity prediction

This paper reviews briefly the advantages of in vitro methods for predictive drug sensitivity testing and then summarizes the present situation. Clear evidence of variation in chemosensitivity at the cellular level is now available, the value of the test for predicting in vivo resistance is confirmed, and some evidence that treatment of advanced carcinoma of the ovary on the basis of a predictive test prolongs survival is presented. Ways in which the laboratory test might be improved are suggested and outstanding clinical problems, in particular the need for a very large number of patients in any prospective trial designed to detect a small improvement in treatment, are discussed.