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Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann logoLink to Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann
. 1991 Oct;82(10):1165–1170. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1991.tb01772.x

Chick Embryo Assay as Chemosensitivity Test for Malignant Glioma

Katsuo Shoin 1,, Junkoh Yamashita 1, Fumihide Enkaku 1, Takuma Sasaki 2, Motohiro Tanaka 1, Yoshio Yoshio 2
PMCID: PMC5918263  PMID: 1955382

Abstract

To predict the efficacy of anticancer drugs such as ACNU [l‐(4‐amino‐2‐methyl‐5‐pyrimidinyl)‐methyl‐3‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐3‐nitrosourea hydrochloride] and MCNU [l‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐3‐(methyl‐α‐D‐glucopyranos‐6‐yl)‐l‐nitrosourea] in the treatment of malignant gliomas, the usefulness of the chick embryo assay as a Chemosensitivity test was studied. Fifty‐seven surgical specimens including benign tumors were examined by this method. All tumor specimens tested could be grafted on the chorioallantoic membrane of chick embryo; the evaluable ratio was 100%. Twenty‐one patients with previously untreated malignant glioma could be evaluated to test the predictability of the clinical effects, judged by computed tomography. There were 7 (78%) instances in which the assay response corresponded to a clinical partial response (true‐positive). There were 2 (22%) false‐positives for the assay, 0 (0%) false‐negative and 12 (100%) true‐negatives. The over‐all predictive accuracy was 90% (19/21). Thus, a high‐degree of positive association exists between the chick embryo assay and the clinical outcome. This in vivo assay system for malignant glioma is advantageous for Chemosensitivity tests because of its convenience, rapidity, and inexpensiveness.

Keywords: Chemosensitivity test, Chick chorioallantoic membrane, Human malignant glioma, ACNU, MCNU

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