Use of the tumour colony assay in the evaluation of patients with bladder cancer.

In this study we examined the ability of tumour specimens derived from bladder barbotage to produce cluster/colony formation in a tumour colony assay. In 114 bladder washings from 65 patients and 15 control subjects, we found that cluster and colony formation was highest from bladder washings obtained from patients with biopsy proven bladder cancer who were not on intravesical chemotherapy. Growth rates were extremely low, restricting the usefulness of the in vitro assay in its present form. This study suggests that improvements in the growth rates in the tumour colony assay will be necessary before this system can have real value in monitoring transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.