Clinical Significance of 5-Fluorouracil Chemosensitivity Testing in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Aim: To evaluate whether the results of chemosensitivity testing were associated with prognosis of colorectal cancer patients after adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (FU)/ leucovorin chemotherapy.

Patients and methods: Eighty-nine patients who received 5-FU/leucovorin adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer were enrolled. Chemosensitivity tests were performed and tumor growth inhibition rate was calculated using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)02,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide) assay.

Results: Fifty-one patients (57.3%) were sensitive to 5-FU according to the chemosensitivity test. After a median follow-up of 64 months, there was a significant difference between the 5-year disease-free survival rates of the chemo-sensitive and chemo-resistant groups. However, there was no significant difference in the overall 5-year survival between the chemo-sensitive and chemo-resistant groups.

Conclusion: A positive 5-FU sensitivity test with in vitro histoculture drug response assay (HDRA) was associated with better disease-free survival. Chemosensitivity may be a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer patients undergoing adjuvant 5-FU/leucovorin chemotherapy.