Experimental lymphatic metastasis.

A model of lymphatic metastasis of cancer has been established by injecting tumour cells into the rat footpad and examining the draining popliteal lymph node. The node can probably destroy only a few tumour cells; thereafter metastasis is progressive and lethal. The tumour cells penetrate the lymphatic endothelium, in the footpad either by moving singly between intact endothelial cells, by destroying the endothelium, or by passing in clumps between the endothelial cells. Tumour cells may then be obtained from the lymph by cannulation of the lymphatic trunk. These experiments pose the question: is local lymphatic chemotherapy useful in treating lymphatic metastasis?