Chemosensitivity testing of xenografted squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region

Eight squamous cell carcinomas from the head and neck region were established as xenograft lines in nude mice and tested for their sensitivity to the antineoplastic drugs bleomycin and cisplatin. Tumor volume, histology, DNA flow cytometry and mitotic activity were used as parameters. One out of the 8 tumours appeared to be highly sensitive to bleomycin, while three other tumours were sensitive to both bleomycin and cisplatin. These observations are in good correlation with the reported data in patients. All chemosensitive tumours showed regrowth after the cytotoxic drug treatment had been completed