[Chemosensitivity testing of fresh human gastrointestinal cancers using AgNOR assay].

The argyrophilic staining of nucleolar onganizer region (AgNOR), a simple colorimetric test, has been adapted for chemosensitivity testing of human gastric and colorectal cancers. Seven different chemotherapeutic agents were tested. The drug sensitivity was measured and compared according to the decrease rate of AgNOR granules between control tumor cells and tumor cells treated with antitumor drugs. Only 3 of 10 cases of advanced gastric carcinoma were sensitive to one antitumor agent. Most colorectal carcinoma cases (18/20) were sensitive to at least one antitumor agent. The sensitive sequence of antitumor agents we have had in this study was relative to clinic. The method and characteristics of AgNOR assay as a chemosensitivity test was introduced. It's value is being observed.