Potentials and limitations of a clonogenic cell assay for human brain tumors

Single cells from biopsies of ten malignant gliomas were treated with 1,3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) in vitro, and tumor cell survival was compared to patient response to nitrosourea therapy. The limitations of the methods and their interpretations and future prospects for clonogenic cell analyses are discussed.