Primary Cell Culture of Hepatic Tumorous Cells From Routine Fine-needle Aspiration

Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital

The purposes of this prospective study were to evaluate the successful rate of primary culture of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts from the residual specimens in routine fine-needle aspiration of hepatic tumor and the potential application of this method as an additional tool for personalized treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Detailed Description

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology or biopsy of hepatic tumor is frequently applied in the collection of specimens because it is considered safe, efficacious, accurate and cost effective. Our previous study from small number of patients showed that specimens obtained from FNA had potential to be applied for primary culture of cancer cells. This study was to modified our method for primary culture of both hepatocellular carcinoma cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in patients with tumor measuring larger than or equal to 3cm. All patients received one session of aspiration for the diagnosis of hepatic tumor. The aspirated specimens were applied for both cytologic and pathologic examinations at first. After then, 10 mL 0.9% NaCl was aspirated by the same needle connected with the same syringe and injected into 15 mL sterilized centrifugation tube. If the tube contained visible specimens, these specimens were sent for primary culture.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 105

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807
    • Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 90 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

patients with hepatic tumor measuring larger than or equal to 3 cm underwent fine-needle aspiration of tumor for diagnosis.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients had residual aspirated specimens for primary culture.

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients did not have residual aspirated specimens for primary culture.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Correlation Between the Growth Speeds of the Cultured Cells and the AJCC TNM Stage (7th Eds) at Entering of the Study.	Patients were divided into AJCC TNM staging < = IIIA and > = IIIB two groups. The incidences of patients with rapidly proliferative cultured cells in these two groups were compared. Rapidly proliferative group was defined as (1) growth area of cultured cells at the 28th day of primary culture exceeded two times of the growth area measured at the 14th day, or (2) growth area of cultured cells at the 28th day reached > 70% growth area of the flask. Based on the results from special stain, patients in rapidly proliferative group were further divided into patients with rapid proliferation of HCC cells alone, rapid proliferation of HCC cells with concomitant cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) (HCC + CAFs) and CAFs alone.	28 days after plating of cells

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Correlation Between the Growth Speeds of Cultured Cells and Worsening of AJCC TNM Stages or HCC Related Death 6 Months After Plating of Cells	104 Patients with complete follow-up data were further divided into receiving (1) curative treatment of HCC including operative resection and local ablation therapy, (2) palliative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and (3) supportive treatment.	6 months after plating of cells

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital
• Collaborators: Department of Health, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Zu Y Lin, MD, Kaohsiung Medical University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Lin ZY, Chuang WL, Chuang YH, Yu ML, Hsieh MY, Wang LY, Tsai JF. Discordant influence of amphotericin B on epirubicin cytotoxicity in primary hepatic malignant cells collected by a new primary culture technique. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006 Feb;21(2):398-405. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2005.04026.x.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 7, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 6, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): March 9, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): October 8, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 7, 2015
• Last Verified: July 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Adenocarcinoma; Carcinoma; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Digestive System Neoplasms; Liver Diseases; Liver Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
• Other Study ID Numbers: 990043