title: Drug response of head and neck tumors in native-state histoculture.
abstract: We describe a chemosensitivity testing of head and neck tumors, in which a native-state histoculture, ie, a three-dimensional culture system that maintains important in vivo properties, including tissue architecture, was used. Fifteen specimens of head and neck tumors were evaluated for sensitivity to the following drugs: cisplatin (DDP) at concentrations of 1.5, 15, and 37.5 micrograms/mL; fluorouracil at concentrations of 4.0, 40, and 100 micrograms/mL; and combinations of cisplatin and fluorouracil in corresponding doses. Growth and measurement of drug responses were successfully completed in 10 specimens (five others were contaminated, four of them prior to instituting rigorous antibiotic washes). The results indicated cisplatin sensitivity in five of 10 patients; fluorouracil sensitivity in four of 10 patients; and fluorouracil-cisplatin sensitivity in seven of eight patients. Our preliminary results indicate that the native-state histoculture technique is feasible to test chemosensitivity of head and neck tumors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, School of Medicine, La Jolla.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Varki
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Storniolo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil