Skip to main content
British Journal of Cancer logoLink to British Journal of Cancer
. 1975 Oct;32(4):512–518. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1975.254

Tissue culture studies of malignant effusions.

R H Whitehead, L E Hughes
PMCID: PMC2024775  PMID: 1212414

Abstract

This study reports attempts to culture tumour cells from 51 malignant effusions using standard tissue culture techniques. Cultures proliferating for more than one month were derived from 42 effusions including 24/32 from breast cancer patients and 5/6 from colon carcinomata. The morphology of these cells and their culture characteristics were compared with that of cells derived from a benign effusion. A common cell type--believed to be of mesothelial origin--was found in all cultures. In addition, fibroblastic cells were common and smaller pleomorphic cells, possibly tumour cells, were found in many effusions. The mesothelial cells were often multinucleated and grew for long periods. Although the tumour cells grew in conjunction with the mesothelial cells, all attempts at separation have failed. These studies indicate that cells derived from malignant effusions may be largely of mesothelial origin although tumour cells may also be present. The use of short-term cultures of malignant effusions as the source of cells for use as target cells in cytotoxicity tests and in chemotherapy assays is disscussed.

Full text

PDF
512

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Cailleau R., Mackay B., Young R. K., Reeves W. J., Jr Tissue culture studies on pleural effusions from breast carcinoma patients. Cancer Res. 1974 Apr;34(4):801–809. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cailleau R., Young R., Olivé M., Reeves W. J., Jr Breast tumor cell lines from pleural effusions. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1974 Sep;53(3):661–674. doi: 10.1093/jnci/53.3.661. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Feller W. F., Stewart S. E., Kantor J. Primary tissue culture explants of human breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1972 Apr;48(4):1117–1120. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Giard D. J., Aaronson S. A., Todaro G. J., Arnstein P., Kersey J. H., Dosik H., Parks W. P. In vitro cultivation of human tumors: establishment of cell lines derived from a series of solid tumors. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1973 Nov;51(5):1417–1423. doi: 10.1093/jnci/51.5.1417. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. LASFARGUES E. Y., OZZELLO L. Cultivation of human breast carcinomas. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1958 Dec;21(6):1131–1147. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. REED M. V., GEY G. O. Cultivation of normal and malignant human lung tissue. I. The establishment of three adenocarcinoma cell strains. Lab Invest. 1962 Aug;11:638–652. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Soule H. D., Vazguez J., Long A., Albert S., Brennan M. A human cell line from a pleural effusion derived from a breast carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1973 Nov;51(5):1409–1416. doi: 10.1093/jnci/51.5.1409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Cancer are provided here courtesy of Cancer Research UK

RESOURCES