Background & objective: Chemotherapy is one of the main modalities for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however,survival period do not increase in this way even though good short-term response has been achieved. The aim of this study was to increase the survival period by postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy base on chemosensitivity testing in nude mouse subrenal capsule assay.
Methods: Fresh NSCLC specimens were transplanted into nude mouse subrenal capsule and 10 kinds of potential anticancer drugs were used in the vivo chemosensitivity test. One hundred and thirty patients with NSCLC undergone radical surgery were randomized into two groups: Group I (70 cases) and Group C (60 cases). The patients in Group I received adjuvant chemotherapy based on chemosensitivity testing in nude mouse assay. In Group C, 60 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy with standard regimen [cyclophosphamide (CTX) 600 mg/m(2) d1+Adriamycin (ADM) 40 mg/m(2) d1 + cisplatin (DDP) 20 mg/m(2) d1-5).
Results: The difference between two groups in local recurrence (43.1% versus 46%, P=0.556), metastasis (33.8% versus 34%, P=0.605), and 5-year survival rate (35.4% versus 34%,P=0.571) were not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Adjuvant chemotherapy based on chemosensitivity testing in nude mouse subrenal capsule assay showed no significant improvement in long-term survival rate.