Summary
Experiments were done to ascertain whether or not tumor cell emboli could pass unarrested through the liver and kidney. The transplantable V2 carcinoma was used in domestic rabbits and, in rats, transplantable Flexner-Jobling carcinoma, Murphy-Sturm lymphosarcoma, Lewis fibroma, and Lewis lymphoma. For transhepatic studies, tumor suspension was injected into the portal vein, and simultaneously blood was drawn from the vena cava just above the liver. The blood was then injected intravenously into a second animal. The development of tumors in the second animal indicated immediate transhepatic passage of tumor cell emboli in the first animal. In transrenal studies, tumor suspension was injected into the aorta above the kidneys, the blood was collected simultaneously from the renal vein, and this blood was injected intravenously into second normal animals.
Immediate transhepatic and transrenal passage of tumor cell emboli occurred with all tumors used except the Flexner-Jobling. The incidences of such passage varied, being higher in tests using lymphoma cells. It is concluded that tumor cell emboli can pass unarrested through the circulation of both liver and kidney.
This investigation was supported by grants from the Division of Research Grants and Fellowships of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service (Grant #C-2356), and the Anna Fuller Fund.