Hollow fiber assay microtube array membrane (MTAM-HFA) for personalized anticancer drug screening in selection of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Authors

• Shan-Ju Chou, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
• Po-Chih Hsu, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan
• Chee Ho Chew, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Wan-Ting Huang, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Amanda Lin Chen, Translational Autoinflammatory Disease Section (TADS), Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
• Chen-Yin Yong, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
• Chia-Che Wu, Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
• Chia-Lun Chang, Department of Hematology-Oncology, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Chien-Chung Chen, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Kuan-Chou Lin, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei, TaiwanFollow

Abstract

Background/purpose: In Asia, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are on the rise in part due to the consumption of betel nut in several regions. This clinical case study evaluated the application of the microtube array membrane-hollow fiber assay (MTAM-HFA) that was previously clinically demonstrated in the context of the selection of chemotheraputic agents as part of the treatment of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in OSCC.

Materials and methods: In this double-blind cohort study, surgical samples from OSCC patients were retrieved and sent for screening of tumor response against a panel of chemotherapeutic agents (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin, carboplatin and docetaxel). Screening outcomes were compared to the clinical outcome of patients receiving the same agents.

Results: MTAM-HFA could predict clinical response of all 3 patients. In patient 1 and 2, MTAM-HFA screening predicted the chemotherapeutic agents accurately which was reflected in the clinical outcome of these respective patients where a significant and stable regression of tumor was observed. In patient 3, the MTAM-HFA screening revealed that 5-FU and cisplatin would exhibit limited anticancer effect. Clinically, after being administered a cocktail of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-FU, the tumor regressed initially. However, tumor progression was noted after 2^nd neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Anticancer drug resistance was later identified resulting in the need for multimodal approach.

Conclusion: Overall, the outcomes were aligned with MTAM-HFA predictions, validating the ability to predict the anti-cancer effects of drugs. This highlights MTAM-HFA as a promising precision oncology system; with a larger prospective interventional clinical study planned for future validation.

Recommended Citation

Chou, Shan-Ju; Hsu, Po-Chih; Chew, Chee Ho; Huang, Wan-Ting; Chen, Amanda Lin; Yong, Chen-Yin; Wu, Chia-Che; Chang, Chia-Lun; Chen, Chien-Chung; and Lin, Kuan-Chou (2026) "Hollow fiber assay microtube array membrane (MTAM-HFA) for personalized anticancer drug screening in selection of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma," Journal of Dental Sciences: Vol. 21: Iss. 4, Article 35.
Available at: https://jds.ads.org.tw/journal/vol21/iss4/35

Publication Date

2026

Received Date

May 23 2026

Accepted Date

May 29 2026

Final Revision Date

May 28 2026