Fraction size and the repair of potentially lethal radiation damage in a human melanoma cell line. Possible implications for radiotherapy.

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Abstract
Studies performed on a human melanoma [C-143] cell line in exponential growth showed radiation survival parameters similar to those of other tumors (.hivin.n = 1.2, D0 [mean lethal dose] = 151). In plateau-phase cultures, however, this tumor cell line was efficient in the repair of potentially lethal radiation damage, especially when large dose fractions were employed (there was a 48-fold recovery after 1200 rad [12 Gy [gray]]). Thus, extrapolation from survival data generated only on exponentially growing cells may be misleading when determining the ultimate surviving fraction in some tumors. Large-fraction radiotherapy may not be effective in tumors that contain cells analogous to plateau-phase cells.