Experimental Approaches to Drug Testing and Clonogenic Growth: Results in Multiple Myeloma and Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Abstract

With the introduction of clonogenic assay methods for human multiple myeloma and acute myelogenous leukemia, it has become possible to carry out in vitro drug testing in these diseases. Major goals of developing such techniques have included both the selection of the best treatment for individual patients and preclinical drug screening and new drug development. In this analysis, results of in vitro testing using both clonogenic assay methods and thymidine incorporation techniques will be summarized. Correlations between the in vitro methods and the subsequent clinical response of patients will be critically evaluated and the potential for these types of approaches discussed.

Supported in part by Grants CA 17094, CA 21839, and CA 14102 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20205, USA

I wish to acknowledge that many of the presented studies have been carried out in close collaboration with Sydney E. Salmon and with the technical assistance of Barbara Soehnlen, Linda Norris-Kloos, Marti McFadden, Yvette Frutiger, and Judy Christian