In vitro chemosensitivity testing of human non-small cell lung cancer celllines

Three human non-small cell lung cancer (non-SCLC) cell lines, one each deri ved from squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma were tested for chemosensitivity to 23 cytostatic agents using the soft aga rose clonogenic assay. Results were compared with in vitro responses of SCL C cell lines derived from patients with and without prior chemotherapy and with in vivo phase II clinical trials in non-SCLC. Carboplatin, daunorubici n, paclitaxel, and teniposide were active in two non-SCLC cell lines and ac tinomycin D, bleomycin, etoposide, irinotecan, and mithramycin were active in one cell line. The cell line from the treated SCLC patient was less sens itive to cytostatic agents than the cell line from the untreated SCLC patie nt and had a sensitivity pattern comparable to non-SCLC cell lines. These d ata are consistent with clinical experience in non-SCLC and suggest that no n-SCLC cell lines in conjunction with the soft agarose clonogenic assay can be useful for in vitro drug screening. They confirm that carboplatin and p aclitaxel are among the most active drugs in non-SCLC and suggest that daun orubicin and teniposide may be more active then their more frequently used analogues.