METHOD TO MONITOR AND CIRCUMVENT ACQUIRED RESISTANCE TO CHEMOTHERAPY IN HUMANS

摘要

Acquisition of drug resistance of tumor cells in patients subjected to chemotherapeutic treatment is monitored by periodically withdrawing fresh tumor cells from the patient and determining the in vitro sensitivity of the withdrawn cells to the administered drug. This determination can also be used to diagnose relapse in a patient receiving chemotherapy. By making repeated withdrawals of tumor cells and repeated determinations of in vitro sensitivity of the withdrawn cells to the administered drug and by comparing the sensitivities determined, chemotherapeutic protocols can be modified.