Test for susceptibility to anticancer drugs by human tumor clonogenic assay and anticancer effects of natural human tumor necrosis factor-α and natural human interferon-α

The human tumor clonogenic assay is a test of susceptibility to anticancer drugs which is known to correlate well with clinical effects. In this report, this assay was used to study the antitumor effects of several anticancer drugs and human tumor necrosis factor-α (nHuTNF-α), and the combination effect of nHuTNF-α and natural human interferon-α (nHuIFN-α). Susceptibility to exisiting anticancer drugs was studied in 94 cases involving 92 patients. Colony formation was obtained 50 cases (53.2%). Of these, susceptibility to ADM was found in 15 cases, to MMC in 8 cases and to 5-Fu in 11 cases. When the antitumor effect of nHuTNF-α was studied in 10 cases obtained from patients with malignant tumor, colony inhibition was shown in 9 cases of more than 30% with 100 units and more than 50% with 300 units. A synergistic effect was assessed with a combination of nHuTNF-α and nHuIFN-α against 4 cell lines (KB, Hep-2, KATO-III, PC-9). The results showed a synergistic effect in KB and Hep-2 cell culture system. From these results, nHuTNF-α seemed to be effective anticancer drugs. The synergistic antitumor effect may be expected if the combination of nHuTNF-α and nHuIFN-α was used clinically.