The documentation of human breast cancer in tissue culture

Of 53 breast cancers explanted in tissue culture, the majority (33 or 62%) was documented as cancer through recognition of either one of two architecturally intact histoculture forms, thin tissue slices or spontaneously occurring tissue islands. The average histoculture period of in vitro life was 2 weeks, with the longest survival 11 months. Observations were made with stained culture specimens, phase contrast microscopy, and time lapse cinephotomicrography. Monolayers of cancer occurred less frequently than histocultures and were identified by demonstrating a transitional area in continuity with monolayer and histoculture. Time lapse film recordings were the ideal means of documenting cancerous monolayers, particularly where transitions occurred abruptly or were of a very subtle nature. Intensive study of the histoculture itself is warranted, not only as a means of establishing documented cancer cell strains or lines but as a basis for obtaining immediate new insight into nutritional, metabolic, and therapeutic responsiveness of human cancers in general.