Human tumor cloning assay in advanced head and neck cancer. Prospective correlative trial.

The feasibility and usefulness of chemosensitivity testing with the soft agar cloning assay was tested in 20 patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Pretreatment biopsy specimens could be obtained on only 13 of 20 patients, and chemosensitivity testing could be performed in only two patients. As currently used, the soft agar cloning assay does not contribute to the management of patients with advanced head and neck cancer.