The subrenal capsule assay and gynecological cancer: five years of experience.

From 1982 through 1986 the subrenal capsule assay (SRCA) was used to test the sensitivity of 304 gynecological malignant tumors to cytotoxic drug combinations. Most of the tumors were ovarian cancers. Ninety-five percent of the assays were evaluable. Histological and ultrastructural studies were performed on transplants derived from ovarian cancers. Besides cytotoxic drugs, the activity of interferons was also studied by SRCA. Clinical comparisons were available in 43 patients with advanced disease; the predictive accuracy rate of the assay was 77%. The histological, ultrastructural and clinical studies indicated that SRCA is a reliable predictive test, which aids in the selection of proper therapy for individual patients.