An in vitro chemosensitivity test for gastric cancer using collagen gel droplet embedded culture

Collagen gel droplet embedded culture drug sensitivity test (CD-DST) was ap plied to 33 patients with gastric cancer (30 primary tumors, 12 metastatic tumors and 25 biopsy specimens). Evaluable rates by CD-DST were 80% for pri mary tumors, 75% for metastatic tumors and 72% for biopsy specimens. Chemos ensitivities of primary tumors were: 5-fluorouracil 25%, mitomycin C 17%, c isplatin 13%, adriamycin 17%, etoposide 21%. Chemosensitivities of metastat ic tumors were lower than those of primary tumors. In 4 out of 6 patients w ho had measurable lesions, clinical responses to chemotherapy were predicta ble by CD-DST.