Chemosensitivity of established human bladder carcinoma cell lines in vitro.

The cytotoxic effects of 3-[(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl]-1-nitrosourea hydrochloride, thio-TEPA, 4'-dimethyl-epipodophyllotoxin-beta-D-ethylidine glucoside, bleomycin, cis-platinum, mitomycin C, adriamycin and carbazilquinone on asynchronous cells of established human bladder carcinoma lines (KK-47, KW-103 and RT4) were investigated by the in vitro colony formation technique. The dose-survival curves were classified into 2 types: biphasic type (bleomycin) and exponential decrease type (the others). These types and the 50 and 90% growth inhibition doses of the drugs may offer a guide to chemotherapeutic design as well as to the selection of possibly effective agents for bladder cancer therapy.