Head and neck carcinoma models. In vivo reproduction in athymic mice and in vitro culture.

683 tumour fragments from 63 head and neck carcinoma patients were cultured in vitro. Two laryngeal carcinomas and two salivary gland carcinomas were established into permanent cell lines. Malignancy of these cultured cells was proved by cloning, by chromosomal analysis and by transplantation into athymic (nu/nu) mice. Experiments demonstrating preservation of histological, biochemical and antigenic properties in the tumour models counter the objection that tumour-specific characteristics may be lost.