title: Limitations of the fast green assay for chemosensitivity testing in human lung cancer.
abstract: Selection of patients with lung cancer who are most likely to benefit from chemotherapeutic treatment would be a substantial step forward. Therefore, a prospective study in predictive chemosensitivity testing in vitro using the fast green assay (FGA) as developed by Weisenthal et al was carried out. Sixty-six pretreatment tumor specimens were obtained, the majority by means of bronchoscopy (n = 42). Due to an initially insufficient yield of tumor cells (n = 19), dead cells in control samples after four-day culture (n = 15), contamination (n = 7), and laboratory failure (n = 2), only 23 (34.8 percent) samples were successfully tested. In 14 of 36 patients, a comparison between in vitro and in vivo response was possible. Taking into account the number of failures, this number of successful assays does not allow for any conclusion regarding accuracy of the FGA. We conclude that the FGA has limited usefulness for in vitro chemosensitivity testing in patients with disseminated lung cancer in whom biopsy specimens were taken without major surgical investigations. Future directions for predictive testing in vitro are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Postmus
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D014750:Vincristine; C035906:Fast Green; D016190:Carboplatin