Predicting the response of gynaecological tumours to chemotherapy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to use an in vitro (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3- carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt) (MTS) assay in combination with an explant culture technique to determine the response of ovarian, endometrial and cervical tumours to various cytotoxic drugs and correlate this with the in vivo response. Three candidate markers, CD31, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and MDR1 (multidrug resistance 1) were assessed to determine if they could predict the response to chemotherapy in ovarian cancers or act as prognostic factors.