Collagen gel matrix assay as an in vitro chemosensitivity test for malignant astrocytic tumors.
BACKGROUND
The efficacy of individual chemotherapy based on chemosensitivity has scarcely been studied.


METHODS
We examined the chemosensitivites for four anticancer agents - 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3 (2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU), carboplatin, cisplatin, and etoposide - of 43 malignant astrocytic tumors (21 anaplastic astrocytomas and 22 glioblastomas) by using a collagen gel matrix assay, and we also determined the survival periods of the tumor-bearing patients. The chemosensitivity was evaluated in terms of the growth inhibition rate, using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method.


RESULTS
For the anaplastic astrocytomas, the mean growth inhibitory rate was 33.2% with cisplatin, 37.2% with carboplatin, 28.0% with ACNU, and 24.8% with etoposide. For the glioblastomas, these rates were 36.9%, 42.3%, 23.2%, and 34.8%, respectively. The median overall and progression-free survivals of anaplastic astrocytoma-bearing patients who had undergone chemotherapy with two anticancer drugs, both of which showed significant anticancer activity (growth inhibitory rate >30%) were significantly longer than those of the patients who had been treated with two drugs, one or both of which did not show significant anticancer activity. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the overall or the progression-free survivals in the two corresponding groups of glioblastoma-bearing patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The collagen gel matrix assay is clinically useful to determine in vitro chemosensitivity that reflects in vivo chemosensitivity. Individual chemotherapy for malignant astrocytic tumors, based on chemosensitivity data, could contribute to longer survival, particularly in anaplastic astrocytoma-bearing patients.
Ono
Atsushi
A
Department of Neurosurgery, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan.
Kanno
Hiroshi
H
Hayashi
Akimune
A
Nishimura
Satoshi
S
Kyuma
Yoshikazu
Y
Sato
Hidemitsu
H
Ito
Susumu
S
Shimizu
Nobuyuki
N
Chang
Chia-Cheng
CC
Gondo
Gakuji
G
Yamamoto
Isao
I
Sasaki
Takuma
T
Tanaka
Motohiro
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003094:Collagen; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005339:Fibrin Foam; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015376:Nimustine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005339:Fibrin Foam; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D015376:Nimustine; D005047:Etoposide; D003094:Collagen; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin