The screening test of various chemotherapeutic drugs in primary malignant melanoma cells and human malignant melanoma cell line (TM-1).

The sensitivities to various chemotherapeutic drugs of the primary malignant melanoma cell of the esophagus and the malignant melanoma cells established from human skin were studied by determining the incoporation of 3H-thymidine into tumor cells using the tissue culture method. The incorporation of 3H-thymidine was depressed by a low concentration of Actinomycin D in malignant melanoma cells of the esophagus and by a low concentration of Adriamycin or Actinomycin D in the established malignant melanoma cells. When Actinomycin D was clinically used according to the experimental results, the subcutaneously metastasized tumor was remarkably reduced.