[Chemosensitivity test on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and drug resistance]

10 HCC cell lines and 122 surgically resected HCC were studied on chemosensitivity to 6 anticancer agents. Succinic dehydrogenase inhibition test was used for evaluating chemosensitivity of HCC. The HCC cell lines were positive in sensitivity to the most anticancer agents except 5-FU. Sensitivity of resected HCC specimens was positive in 17/42 (40.5%) to exposed to VP-16, in 21/57 (36.8%) to IFM, but also it was positive in 40/46 (87.0%) of the non-cancer tissue of the same liver exposed to VP-16 and in 33/60 (55.0%) to IFM. So VP-16 and IFM were probably considered to injure the residual liver after hepatectomy. In immunostainings of P-gp, GST-pi, MT, and P-450 of HCC cell lines, the expression of P-gp correlated with MDR1 mRNA and chemosensitivity test to ADM. Correlation between the expression of GST-pi and chemosensitivity test to ADM and CDDP were considered to be probably recognized. However, in surgically resected HCC, correlation among those factors was not observed.

P-gp, MDR1 gene and GST-pi have probably a role in drug resistance in HCC. Selection of anticancer agents after chemosensitivity tests on both HCC and normal tissue of liver should be performed. We need more investigation for how the results of chemosensitivity test correlate with clinical effectiveness.