Response of an in vivo-in vitro tumour to X-rays and cytotoxic drugs: effect of tumour disaggregation method on cell survival.

EMT-6/UW tumours were treated in vivo with X-rays, cyclophosphamide, or bleomycin. Cell survival was assayed in vitro following tumour disaggregation with trypsin or an enzyme cocktail (EC) consisting of pronase, collagenase and DNase which gives a 10-20 x higher cell yield. Surviving fraction was lower after cyclophosphamide treatment for cells isolated with EC than for cells prepared with trypsin. The opposite result was obtained with bleomycin; trypsin-isolated cells appeared more sensitive. In attempting to determine the basis for this discrepancy, it was found that both dissociation methods isolate a non-representative cell sample with fewer cells in DNA synthesis (12-13%) than in the original tumour (approximately 22%). The specific nature of the interaction between the injury caused by drug and enzyme remains to be elucidated.