Short-term culture of pediatric brain tumors.

Three short-term culture systems were applied to ten pediatric brain tumors and two samples each of normal child's brain and fetal brain. Growth in monolayer occurred in nine of the ten tumors but normal child's brain also produced cellular growth in these conditions. Six of nine tumors tested also formed colonies in suspension in semisolid or liquid conditions which did not permit the growth of normal glial cells. Astrocytomas and medulloblastomas have distinctive growth patterns both in monolayer and in suspension culture. Fetal brain from midtrimester abortions contained cells which, like tumor, formed colonies in suspension. The semisolid culture system was then used to test the sensitivity of brain tumor stem cells to drugs and radiation in vitro. Survival curves representative of our experience with the medulloblastomas and astrocytomas are presented. It is concluded that the system may have value in screening new agents for activity against children's brain tumors but because of the relative rarity of these diseases, a cooperative effort would be required to produce useful results.