Brain tumor growth and response to chemotherapy in the subrenal capsule assay

Pieces from eight freshly biopsied human gliomas and tumors grown from a human glioma (U118MG) established by transplantation and a rat glioma (RG2) were transplanted under the renal capsule of normal, immunocompetent rats. The effects of chemotherapy administered intraperitoneally to host rats were evaluated by measuring the growth of implanted tumor specimens. Results could be obtained within 7 days of transplantation and suggest that the subrenal capsule assay might be useful in the future for the rapid evaluation of the sensitivity of human brain tumors to therapeutic manipulation. The limitations of the assay are discussed.