Table 6.

Relative expression of mRNA levels in tumor samples after ex vivo exposure to topotecan and irinotecan. The IC₅₀ concentrations for the samples tested are shown for each drug (median and range). The p values have been calculated using non-parametric statistics, in detail the Wilcoxon matched pairs test. On statistical advice, we chose not to use a Bonferroni's correction, but it should be noted that some technically statistically significant results could have arisen by chance.

	Ovarian samples				Colorectal samples
Target gene	n	Control	Topotecan IC50 = 0.754 μM (0.164–4.82)	p	n	Control	Irinotecan IC50 = 55.4 μM (29.5–100)	p
BCRP	9	0.0156	0.0125	>0.999	7	0.0354	0.0515	0.6875
COX-2	10	0.253	0.475	0.7695	7	105.17	38.49	0.0156
EGFR	10	0.470	0.163	0.0039	-	-	-	-
ERCC1	10	0.252	0.399	0.002	7	1.403	2.469	0.0156
MDR1	9	0.0090	0.0034	0.5703	7	0.2253	0.2938	>0.999
MLH1	10	0.263	0.2268	0.0371	-	-	-	-
MRP1	-	-	-	-	7	5.132	3.775	0.0156
TOPO I	10	4.490	2.448	0.0371	7	1.468	1.119	0.1094
TOPO IIα	10	1.093	0.0670	0.002	6	0.2847	0.0733	0.2188
TOPO IIβ	-	-	-	-	7	0.7405	0.5058	0.0313