Biomechanical destruction of cancer cells in the heart: a rate regulator for hematogenous metastasis.

B16 and Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were introduced into the myocardium via the coronary arteries, following injection into the left ventricular cavity of mice. Bioassays show that the vast majority of the injected cells reaching the beating myocardium were destroyed in less than 5 min. The results support the hypothesis that rapid biomechanical destruction of cancer cells within the microvasculature of the heart is a significant rate regulator of hematogenous metastasis to this organ.