Barrier function of lymph node to tumor cells and erythrocytes. II. Effect of x-ray, inflammation, sensitization and tumor growth.

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of alteration of nodes upon their filtering capacity for tumor cells and erythrocytes. Local irradiation and inflammation, but not diphtheria-typhoid-pertussis (DTP) sensitization, significantly reduced the barrier function of nodes to erythrocytes. These modalities failed to influence the deficient barrier function of lymph nodes to tumor cell dissemination. The results also re-emphasize previous conclusions that information in this regard obtained from the study of erythrocytes is not applicable to tumor cells. Properties of the tumor cells per se, rather than biological and mechanical functions of the lymph nodes appear most significant concerning the fate of such cells in these structures. The failure of either local or distant tumor growth to influence the histologic appearance or filtering capacity of lymph nodes for tumor cells suggests a lack of biological responsiveness of such structures to tumor.