Objective To predict clinical chemotherapy sensitivity of primary non-small cell lung cancer（NSCLC） by methylthiazal （MTT） tumor chemosensitivity assay method in vitro and detection of multidrug resistance gene1 （MDR1）, and provide reference for clinical individualized treatment. Methods We selected 80 fresh primary NSCLC samples from NSCLC patients who underwent surgical resection in Zibo Central Hospital Affiliated to Binzhou Medical College between January 2009 and December 2011. There were 46 male patients and 34 female patients with their median age of 54 （29 to 81）years. Viable NSCLC cells obtained from malignant tissue were tested for their sensitivity to cisplatin （DDP）, gemcitabine （GEM）, docetaxe （DOC）, etoposide （VP-16） ,and vinorelbine （NVB） using MTT assay in vitro. Fluorescent quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was used to analysis the expression level of multidrug resistance gene1 （MDR1）. Results After exposure to antitumor drugs, morphologic changes, decrease of metabolic activity, and apoptosis were detected in NSCLC cells. MTT results showed that different individual cancer cells had different chemosensitivity to antitumor drugs, and cancer cells also had different chemosensitivity to different antitumor drugs. Inhibitory rates of cancer cells exposed to DOC, GEM, and VP-16 were significantly higher than those of cancer cells exposed to DDP and NVB （42.5%±9.5%, 40.5%±6.5%, 38.4%±7.6% versus 31.5%±8.5%，32.5%±7.8%, P＜0.05）.The positive rate of MDR1 in tumor tissues was 40.0% （32/80）. The expression of MDR1 was not associated with tumor histological type, degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. The expression of MDR1 was associated with resistance to NVB （χ2=5.209，P=0.022），GEM （χ2=4.769，P=0.029），VP-16 （χ2=4.596，P=0.032），and DDP（χ2=6.086，P=0.014）, but not associated with resistance to DOC（χ2=0.430，P=0.512）. Conclusion MTT chemosensitivity assay can effectively predict clinical chemotherapy sensitivity. Detection of MDR1, together with MTT chemosensitivity assay, can more accurately predict NSCLC chemosensitivity and be a guide for individualized chemotherapy of NSCLC.
ObjectiveTo explore the relationship of the clinicopathological characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), K-ras and EML4-ALK fusion gene in cell blocks of pleural effusion (PLE). MethodsA total of 268 cytological specimens of PLE (pleural effusion), from Central Hospital of Zibo city were collected from advanced NSCLC patients between January 2012 year and June 2014 year. There were 165 male and 103 female patients at age of 53.6 (31-76) years. Qualitative diagnosis has been made in the 268 patients using PLE samples with conventional smear. Immunohistochemical staining combined with cell block section were used for further classification. There were 76 patients diagnosed as NSCLC with 39 patients of adenocarcinoma and 37 patients of squamous-cell carcinoma. In the 76 patients of lung biopsy specimens and PLE, EGFR and K-ras mutations, EML4-ALK fusions were tested. ResultsEGFR mutations rate was 34.21% (26/76). K-ras mutations rate was 6.58% (5/76). EML4-ALK fusions rate was 7.89% (6/76) at the same time. EGFR and K-ras mutations, EML4-ALK fusions were mostly found in young female adenocarcinoma patients who were non-smokers. EGFR and K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusions were not found in the same patient. ConclusionCytological specimens are feasible for detecting EGFR were K-ras mutations and EML4-ALK fusions. This will especially benefit to patients whose histological specimen can not be obtained.