The therapeutic response of bronchial carcinoma xenografts: a direct patient-xenograft comparison.

The chemotherapeutic response of a series of patients with bronchial carcinoma has been compared with the response of their xenografts established in immune-suppressed CBA/lac mice. Xenograft response was assessed by the in situ endpoint of growth delay in subcutaneous tumours. Histology and chromosome analysis indicated that human characteristics were retained in the xenografts. 49 xenograft lines were attempted: 15/18 oat cell, 11/17 squamous, 6/8 large cell anaplastic and 6/6 adenocarcinomas were successfully established. 14 Lines (28%) were available (August 1979) for direct comparison of xenograft and donor patient response to the same chemotherapeutic agents. A positive correlation was found and provides support for the chemotherapeutic validity of xenografts.