[Heterotransplantation of a human glioma and brain metastases in the athymic nude mouse--a preclinical model for radiation oncology. 1. Basic principles and methodology].

In spite of the great efforts undertaken in the different disciplines, the prognosis of patients with highly malignant gliomas, i.e. astrocytomas of degrees III and IV remains unfavorable. Up to now, new findings about an improvement of radiooncologic therapy methods are obtained retrospectively from the results of complex and time-consuming clinical studies. The heterotransplantation of human tumor tissue in immune-deficient nu/nu mice gives the opportunity to check preclinically the efficiency of different fractionation schemes and cytostatic drugs already. The author's experiences and therapy results are presented in order to demonstrate the possibilities as well as the limits of this in-vivo model performed with a view to clinical conditions.