Quantitative organ culture: an approach to prediction of tumour response

Quantitative organ culture provides a simple in vitro method for assessing tumour responsiveness. The value of using 125IUdR incorporation as a reproducible index of DNA synthesis in organ culture has been investigated using human benign prostatic hyperplasia. From a study of the variables affecting the reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity of the method a simple technique was adopted. This method was applied to the study of the hormone-sensitivity of breast tumours, some of which showed a dose-response to 17 beta-estradiol. The criteria which must be applied to make such a test of clinical value are discussed.