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. 2004 Jan-Feb;24(1):325-31.

The impact of stromal cell contamination on chemosensitivity testing of head and neck carcinoma

Affiliations
  • PMID: 15015616

The impact of stromal cell contamination on chemosensitivity testing of head and neck carcinoma

Ralph Dollner et al. Anticancer Res. 2004 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Background: Reliable chemosensitivity testing of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) still faces methodical limitations. Since stromal cell contamination has been found to preclude reliable radiosensitivity testing of HNSCC as well as chemosensitivity testing of lung tumors, the present study investigates the impact of stromal cell contamination on chemosensitivity testing of HNSCC.

Patients and methods: Seventeen biopsies from HNSCC were analyzed. The specimens were investigated using an ex vivo colony formation assay which allows for the quantitative and separate determination of the overall, as well as the epithelial, and stromal response to carboplatin, 5-fluorouracil and docetaxel.

Results: The overall chemoresponse was dominated by stromal cell multidrug resistance. However, by selective evaluation of the epithelial chemoresponse, individual chemosensitivity patterns could be identified.

Conclusion: Multidrug-resistant stromal cells preclude the reliable assessment of the chemoresponse of HNSCC specimens. Carefiul correction for stromal cell effects is a prerequisite for the generation of therapeutically useful information.

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