Functional profiling to select chemotherapy in untreated, advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Background/aim: To assess the impact of drug selection upon the treatment of advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we applied a functional platform that measures drug-induced cell death in human tumor primary-culture micro-spheroids isolated from surgical specimens.

Patients and methods: At diagnosis, microspheroids isolated by mechanical and enzymatic disaggregation were examined for drug-induced cell-death by morphology and staining characteristics. Drugs were administered using standard protocols. Thirty-one patients, who received at least one cycle of therapy, were evaluable. All patients signed informed consent.

Results: Twenty out of 31 patients responded (64.5%), 1 completely and 19 partially, providing a two-fold improvement over historical control of 30% (p=0.00015), a median time-to-progression of 8.5 months and a median overall survival of 21.3 months.

Conclusion: This functional platform is feasible and provides a favorable objective response rate, time-to-progression and survival in advanced, metastatic, untreated NSCLC, and warrants further evaluation.