Chemosensitivity in childhood brain tumours in vitro: evidence of differential sensitivity to lomustine (CCNU) and vincristine

The aim of this study was to examine the range of sensitivity of a panel of short-term cultures derived from different types of malignant childhood br ain tumours including medulloblastoma, ependymoma and glioblastoma multifor me to three cytotoxic drugs, lomustine (CCNU), vincristine (VCR) and procar bazine (PCB). Sensitivity was assessed using a modification of the dimethyl thiazolyl-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Short-term cell lin es derived from ependymomas were considerably more resistant to VCR than ot her types of childhood brain tumours, while cultures derived from supratent orial primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) displayed marked sensitivity to both lomustine and VCR. Cultures from ependymomas, medulloblastoma and a strocytic gliomas had similar sensitivity to lomustine and PCB as cultures derived from adult malignant astrocytoma. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.