Heterogeneity of chemosensitivity in esophagea cancer using ATP-tumor chemosensitivity assay

• Published in: 中国药理学报：英文版 Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 401 - 406
• Main Author: Zhi-qiang LING Chun-jian QI Xiao-xiao LU Li-juan QIAN Lin-hui GU Zhi-guo ZHENG Qiang ZHAO Shi WANG Xian-hua FANG Zhi-xing YANG Jian YIN Wei-min MAO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: ATP; 体外药敏试验; 化疗药物; 异质性; 标本制作; 肿瘤; 药物敏感性; 食管癌
• ISSN: 1671-4083; 1745-7254

Aim： Current chemotherapy for esophageal cancer is conducted on the basis of empirical information from clinical trials, which fails to take into account the known heterogeneity of chemosensitivity between patients. This study was aimed to demonstrate the degree of heterogeneity of chemosensitMty in esophageal cancers. Methods： A total of 42 esophageal cancer specimens were collected. The heterogeneity of chemosensitivity in esophageal cancer specimens was examined using an ex vivo ATP-tumor chemosensitivity assay （ATP-TCA）. Results： Thirty eight specimens produced evaluable results （90.5%）. The most active single agent tested was nedaplatin, to which 28.9% of samples were sensitive. Combinations of chemotherapy agents exhibited much higher sensitivity： cisplatin＋paclitaxel was sensitive in 16 of 38 （42.1%） of samples, while nedaplatin＋paclitaxel was more effective, which was sensitive in 20 of 38 cases （52.6%）. Conclusion： There was a marked heterogeneity of chemosensitivity in esophageal cancer. Chemosensitivity testing may provide a practical method for testing new regimens before clinical trials in esophageal cancer patients.