Direct cloning of human malignant melanoma.

An in vitro soft agar technique was used to culture human malignant melanoma cells from 61 solid tumors, 17 lymph nodes, 11 effusions, and four bone marrow specimens from 93 patients with malignant melanoma. Colonies grew in soft agar from 64 (69%) of the 93 specimens. Fifty-five percent of the specimens cultured formed greater than or equal to 30 colonies per 500,000 nucleated cells plated. Light microscopy, electron microscopy, tumor marker, and athymic nude mouse studies provided evidence the colonies were composed of malignant melanoma cells. Drug sensitivity studies utilizing the cloning technique showed similarities between in vitro results and the general clinical experience noted with the same drugs. The human tumor cloning system represents a new model for future basic biology and clinical studies of human malignant melanoma.