Summary
The cytotoxic activity of a new nitrosourea, TCNU, was compared with that of BCNU in five human small cell lung cancer cell lines in vitro. TCNU was found to be equivalent or inferior to BCNU when compared on a microgram to microgram basis. If the potential of in vitro phase II trials for selection of new drugs can be validated, it can be concluded that TCNU is not superior to other nitrosoureas for the treatment of SCCL.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carter SK, Newman JW (1968) Nitrosoureas: 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (NSC-409962; BCNU) and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (NSC-79037, CCNU) — clinical brochure. Cancer Chemother Rep [3] 1: 115–152
Christensen I, Hartmann NR, Keiding N, Larsen JK, Noer H, Vindeløv L (1978) Statistical analysis of DNA distributions from cell populations with partial synchrony. In: Lutz D (ed) Pulse cytophotometry, part 3. European Press Medicon, Ghent, pp 71–78
De Vita VT, Carbone PP, Owens AH, Gold GL, Krant MJ, Edmonson J (1965) Clinical trials with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea, NSC409962. Cancer Res 25: 1876–1881
Engelholm SA, Spang-Thomsen M, Vindeløv LL (1983) A short-term in vitro test for tumour sensitivity to adriamycin based on flow cytometric DNA analysis. Br J Cancer 47: 497–502
Engelholm SA, Spang-Thomsen M, Vindeløv LL, Brünner NA (1986) Chemosensitivity of human small cell carcinoma of the lung detected by flow cytometric DNA analysis of drug-induced cell cycle perturbations in vitro. Cytometry 7: 243–250
Levin VA, Hoffman W, Weinkam RJ (1978) Pharmacokinetics of BCNU in man: A preliminary study of 20 patients. Cancer Treat Rep 62: 1305–1312
Roed H, Vindeløv LL, Christensen IJ, Spang-Thomsen M, Hansen HH (1987) The effect of the two epipodophyllotoxin derivatives etoposide (VP-16) and teniposide (VM-26) on cell lines established from patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 19: 16–20
Roed H, Christensen IJ, Vindeløv LL, Spang-Thomsen M, Hansen HH (1987) Inter-experiment variation and dependence on culture conditions in assaying chemosensitivity of human small cell lung cancer cell lines. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 23: 177–186
Selby P, Buick RN, Tannock I (1983) A critical appraisal of the “human tumor stem-cell assay”. N Engl J Med 308: 129–134
Smyth I, Warrington P, Cornbleet M, Leonard R, Wahlby S, Hartley-Asp B, Gunnarsson PO, Polacek J (1985) Phase I trial of a novel nitrosourea — TCNU. Proc ECCO 3: 7
Vibe-Petersen J, Bork E, Møller H, Hansen HH, Cornbleet M, Smyth J (1986) Early clinical experience with TCNU — a new water-soluble nitrosourea compound. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 22: 121
Vindeløv LL, Christensen IJ, Keiding N, Spang-Thomsen M, Nissen NI (1983a) Long-term storage of samples for flow cytometric DNA analysis. Cytometry 3: 317–322
Vindeløv LL, Christensen IJ, Nissen NI (1983b) A detergenttrypsin method for the preparation of nuclei for flow cytometric DNA analysis. Cytometry 3: 323–327
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by grants from the Lundbeck Foundation
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roed, H., Vindeløv, L.L., Spang-Thomsen, M. et al. In vitro evaluation of a new nitrosourea, TCNU, against human small cell lung cancer cell lines. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 19, 315–318 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261480
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261480