CLINICAL CORRELATIONS WITH CHEMOSENSITIVITIES MEASURED IN A RAPID THYMIDINE INCORPORATION ASSAY

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 44  (4) , 1725-1728
Abstract
A rapid assay for in vitro chemosensitivity testing measuring [3H]thymidine incorporation was developed. Results of this assay correlated highly with chemosensitivities determined by the soft-agar clonogenic assay. A correlative study was carried out on 219 solid tumor specimens to assess the ability of the rapid assay to predict clinical response to antineoplastic therapy. Of 219 tumors (65%) 142 yielded chemosensitivity data. Of these, 33 were evaluable for in vitro-in vivo correlations. In vitro sensitivity (.gtoreq. 80% inhibition of thymidine uptake) was associated with clinical response in 6 of 13 patients. In vitro resistance was associated with progressive disease in 20 of 20 patients. The rapid assay offers several advantages over the soft-agar clonogenic assay including higher success rate, avoidance of clumping artifact, shorter time course (5 days), and very low false-negative rate. Further refinement may be necessary, but the rapid assay appears to have potential for individualizing solid tumor chemotherapy.