[Culture of clone-forming cells from human tumours and its practical applications (author's transl)]

Tumoral stem cells capable of multiplying can be selected from human tumours by in vitro culture techniques. These are the cells which renew the tumour and form metastases. Placed in a suitable agar medium, they give birth to cellular clones. The selection of clone-forming cells from human tumours makes it possible to devise chemograms, as has successfully been done in the U.S.A. by the Salmon and von Hoff teams. Working on a fairly large number of different cancers and using in vitro tests in the presence of drugs, these scientists were able to predict chemosensitivity and chemoresistance in 62 to 96% of tumours. The new techniques and results are presented and discussed.