Ovarian cancer treatment stratification using ex vivo drug sensitivity testing

Abstract

Background: Treatment options for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer are generally palliative in nature and rarely have realistic potential to be curative. Because many patients with recurrent ovarian cancer receive aggressive chemotherapy for prolonged periods, sometimes continuously, therapy-related toxicities are a major factor in treatment decisions. The use of ex vivo drug sensitivity screens has the potential to improve the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer by providing personalized treatment plans and thus reducing toxicity from unproductive therapy attempts. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the treatment responses of a set of six early-passage patient-derived ovarian cancer cell lines towards a set of 30 Food and Drug Administration-approved chemotherapy drugs using drug-sensitivity testing.