Single tissue samples from head and neck squamous cell carcinomas are representative regarding the entire tumor's chemosensitivity to cisplatin and docetaxel.
BACKGROUND
In multimodal therapy concepts for advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a valid predictive assay for the quick detection of efficient chemotherapeutic agents is desirable. Questionable so far was whether tissue samples of about 100 mg correctly reflect the chemoresponse of a whole HNSCC. This was proven using an ex-vivo colony-forming assay.


METHODS
Of 14 HNSCC, 3 biopsies each were taken from separate sites, minced, and collagenase digested. HNSCC digests were added to microtiter plates containing serial dilutions of chemotherapeutic agents or medium as control. After 72-h incubation, wells were washed and cultures methanol-fixed before Giemsa-staining. Epithelial colonies were counted.


RESULTS
11/14 HNSCC (78.6%) showed sufficient colony formation allowing reliable cut-off detection. Cut-off concentrations (complete chemotherapeutically suppressed colony formation) between 3.3 microM and >50 microM cisplatin, and 0.55 microM and 17.6 microM docetaxel were detected. Inhibition of colony formation to 50% of colonies detected in controls (IC50) was found between 0.2 microM and 17.9 microM cisplatin or 1.5 microM and 13.7 microM docetaxel. Cut-off concentrations and IC50 of the HNSCC fragments showed a strong correlation (docetaxel: r > 0.80, p < 0.005; cisplatin: r > 0.67, p < 0.044), while being only insignificantly different in the t-test for paired samples (docetaxel: p > 0.163; cisplatin: p > 0.167).


CONCLUSIONS
In most cases, tissue samples of about 100 mg allow a representative assessment of chemoresponse of HNSCC.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 26, Leipzig, Germany. Gunnar.Wichmann@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Gunnar
G
Wichmann
Iris-Susanne
IS
Horn
Andreas
A
Boehm
Christian
C
Mozet
Katrin
K
Tschop
Ralph
R
Dollner
Andreas
A
Dietz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D002945:Cisplatin