The human tumour colony-forming assay using fresh specimens
Slee, P.H.; Van Oosterom, A.T.; Van den Berg, L.; De Bruijn, E.A.
Netherlands Journal of Medicine 29(6): 180-188
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-2977 PMID: 3016578 Document Number: 274566
The human tumour colony-forming assay as described by Hamburger and Salmon in 1977 and slightly modified by us, was used to culture 140 fresh human tumour specimens. For eight solid tumour specimens enzymatic methods yielded cell suspensions which resulted in better growth than mechanical methods. The adequate growth rate (defined as more than 30 colonies per dish) was low (40 per cent). The average plating efficiency was less than 0.1 per cent (one colony per 1,000 plated cells). Because this plating efficiency differed significantly at several cell concentrations for 54 per cent of the specimens with adequate growth rate, it seemed mandatory to culture each specimen at more than one cell concentration. Another problem was the plating of a true single cell suspension. At present it seems premature to advocate this assay for routine application.