In vitro selection of tumor cells obtained from patients with ovarian carcinoma. A cytogenetic study.

Five cases of ovarian carcinoma were studied cytogenetically. Using cell cultures derived from ascitic effusions, two cytogenetically distinguishable cell populations were found in each case: one in the diploid range, and one in the heteroploid range. Selection in vitro occurred against the heteroploid cells. As a result of these findings, it is suggested that chromosome analyses can diminish the possibility of overlooking cellular changes leading to cell populations not representative of the carcinoma in vivo.