Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck heterotransplanted to nude mice. Take rate in relation to patient survival.

Biopsy specimens from 62 human single primary squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the head and neck were xenografted into nude mice. To evaluate the prognostic significance of successful heterotransplantation, the 62 cases were retrospectively examined for survival, adjusting for possible confounders by multivariate analysis. The recorded take rate in the first passage was 24%. Median survival in the take group was 25 months versus 74 months in the nontake group, which is not statistically significant in this material. However, the numerical difference in survival between the take groups is in accordance with the concept that human tumors accepted as xenografts on nude mice may constitute a selected group of malignancies. This has to be considered when using heterotransplanted human tumors for in vivo investigations of SCC of the head and neck.