Differences in lodgement of tumour cells in muscle and liver

Differences in the lodgement of circulating tumour cells in various organs are considered an important factor in metastatic organ selection. The present vital microscopic studies show that the pattern of intravascular arrest of tumour cells in muscle after intra-arterial injection is similar to that observed earlier, in the liver, after intraportal injection. However, parallel isotope studies on the lodgement process (at 5 min and 3 h after injection) showed that the tumour cells trapped in the muscle microvasculature were destroyed at a higher rate than in the liver. Tumour cells kept in test tubes, and thus not being subjected to the shearing forces of the circulation, had a higher survival rate than cells trapped in the muscle. The results indicate that stronger retardation forces acting on the tumour cells in muscle (arterial dissemination) than in the liver (venous dissemination) may be one mechanism behind the increased tumour cell destruction in muscle.