In vitro antiproliferative activity of docetaxel (Taxotere), paclitaxel (Taxol) and cisplatin against human tumour and normal bone marrow cells.

The in vitro antiproliferative effect of docetaxel (Taxotere), paclitaxel (Taxol) and cisplatin was assessed in a range of human tumour types, including 25 tumour cell lines and 35 primary cultures. Additionally, 12 human normal bone marrow samples were analyzed. Seven laboratories, all members of the EORTC Preclinical Therapeutic Models Group (PTMG), have performed these tests, using their own individual assay procedures. In all comparisons docetaxel and paclitaxel were much more potent than cisplatin with IC50 values of the taxoids being in the nanomolar range. Docetaxel generally was two- to four-fold more cytotoxic than paclitaxel. The sensitivity profile of the cell lines, which was based on the IC50 values, indicated a certain degree of cross-sensitivity between paclitaxel and docetaxel (linear regression analysis; r = 0.73, p < 0.001). On the other hand, the sensitivity profile of cisplatin was different from the ones seen for docetaxel and paclitaxel, indicating that no cross-sensitivity exists between cisplatin and both taxoids.