In vitro sensitivity of ovarian cancer as determined by a short-term biochemical assay: comparison between primary and metastatic sites in the same patient.
Tumor sensitivity of ovarian cancer to cytotoxic drugs in vitro was examined between paired samples taken from the primary tumor and its metastases in the same patient. A 3-hour assay of primary cultures of the tumor was used to determine cellular response to the drugs by measurement of the incorporation of [3H]thymidine. Although there was variability, a reasonable correlation was found between the primary tumor and its different metastases, between the different metastases, and between the different tumor sites and cells from the peritoneal fluid. However, there was discordance between some of the pairings; the rate varied between 12 and 42% when the criterion was greater than 20% inhibition. Consistent drug sensitivity for all sites tested was present in only 8 of the 18 patients. Because of the discordance in some pairings, attempts should be made to sample all metastatic tumors, particularly those which cannot be removed completely by surgery. The discordant subgroup may be a source of false-negative and false-positive results of the assay.
Khoo
S K
SK
University of Queensland, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Australia.
Hurst
T
T
Lark
J
J
Webb
M J
MJ
Parsons
P
P
Mackay
E V
EV
D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
D002945:Cisplatin; D013936:Thymidine