[Chemotherapy for metastatic brain tumors with CDDP and other agents: correlation between chemotherapeutic effects and the results of in vitro chemosensitivity tests using collagen gel-embedded culture combined with computerized image analysis in metastatic brain tumors].

Chemotherapy with CDDP and/or other agents was performed in 15 patients after removal of metastatic brain tumors. A chemosensitivity test using a system of collagen gel-embedded culture and computerized image analysis was performed on the tumors from these patients. The clinical usefulness of the chemosensitivity test was evaluated by comparing chemotherapeutic effects with the results of the test. The rates of correlation of the chemosensitivity test with clinical response on brain MRI was 80%, and that of the chemosensitivity test with clinical response in tumor markers or on primary tumors was 75%. This observation suggests that the chemosensitivity test using collagen gel-embedded culture and computerized image analysis is useful in determining optimal chemotherapy for metastatic brain tumors. In ten multiple metastatic brain tumors, three complete responses, two partial responses, one minor response and four non-responses were observed on MRI. Only one case showed a false negative result on the chemosensitivity test and showed partial response. This result also indicates the effectiveness of chemotherapy based on chemosensitivity testing.