Clinical correlations with drug sensitivities in the clonogenic assay: a retrospective study
B. D. Mann, D. H. Kern, A. E. Giuliano, M. W. Burk, M. A. Campbell, L. R. Kaiser and D. L. Morton
We tested the ability of the in vitro clonogenic assay (CLAS) to predict
clinical response for patients with solid tumors. Patients had objectively
measurable disease and received at least one course of chemotherapy. The
correlation between clinical responses and in vitro sensitivity was
evaluated retrospectively. Tumor types included melanoma (19), sarcoma
(five), hepatoma (one), and carcinoma of the stomach (two), colon (three),
lung (one), and breast (one). Five patients received two separate courses
of chemotherapy with different drugs or drug regimens. In nine of 11 (82%)
instances, tumors were sensitive to a particular drug, and the patient had
at least 50% regression of tumor following treatment with the tested drug.
Two patients whose tumors were sensitive in vitro had no evidence of
clinical response. In 25 of 26 assays, the CLAS accurately predicted tumor
resistance, and only one patient had evidence of clinical response (96%).
Associations of in vitro results with clinical responses were highly
significant. The CLAS can accurately predict the chemosensitivity of a
variety of solid tumors.
