The impact of stromal cell contamination on chemosensitivity testing of head and neck carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Reliable chemosensitivity testing of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) still faces methodical limitations. Since stromal cell contamination has been found to preclude reliable radiosensitivity testing of HNSCC as well as chemosensitivity testing of lung tumors, the present study investigates the impact of stromal cell contamination on chemosensitivity testing of HNSCC.


METHODS
Seventeen biopsies from HNSCC were analyzed. The specimens were investigated using an ex vivo colony formation assay which allows for the quantitative and separate determination of the overall, as well as the epithelial, and stromal response to carboplatin, 5-fluorouracil and docetaxel.


RESULTS
The overall chemoresponse was dominated by stromal cell multidrug resistance. However, by selective evaluation of the epithelial chemoresponse, individual chemosensitivity patterns could be identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Multidrug-resistant stromal cells preclude the reliable assessment of the chemoresponse of HNSCC specimens. Carefiul correction for stromal cell effects is a prerequisite for the generation of therapeutically useful information.
Dollner
Ralph
R
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. ralph_dollner@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Granzow
Christof
C
Helmke
Burkhard M
BM
Ruess
Alexandra
A
Schad
Arno
A
Dietz
Andreas
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007624:KB Cells; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay