Cytotoxic Activity of Echinomycin in a Human Tumor Cloning System

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Abstract
A human tumor cloning system was utilized to screen for in vitro antitumor effects of the investigational anticancer agent Echinomycin. Tumors from 562 patients (24 different h istological tumor types) were placed in culture. Two hundred fifty-five specimens were evaluable for drug sensitivity information (i.e., ≥ 20 colonies in control plates). The overall in vitro response rates (defined as < 50% survival of tumor colony-forming units) at three different doses of Echinomycin (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 μg/ml) were between 16% and 19%. Echinomycin showed minor in vitro cytotoxic activity in breast and colon cancer, and in sarcoma. A comparison of these in vitro results with the results of phase-II clinical trials, as they become available, will help to evaluate the utility of the human tumor cloning system for predicting clinical antitumor activity of new antineoplastics.