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Role of the regional lymph nodes in the cure of a murine lymphosarcoma
Author(s) -
Perez Carlos A.,
Stewart Carleton C.,
PalmerHanes Lily A.,
Powers William E.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197309)32:3<562::aid-cncr2820320308>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - lymph , medicine , lymph node , lymphadenectomy , immune system , pathology , immunology
Using an experimental model with a transplanted murine lymphosarcoma, several observations strongly suggest that following tumor transplantation, there is a selective transient accumulation of tumor cells in the regional lymph nodes. Furthermore, the surgical removal of these lymph nodes immediately prior to or within a week following implantation of the tumor cells significantly impairs the cure of the tumor by a dose of local irradiation which in control animals cures 83%. Local irradiation of the regional lymph nodes (3000 rads single dose) produced a moderate decrease in cure rates, not as severe as that observed in the lymphadenectomized animals. It is postulated that there is a critical period of time during which an immune response is initiated in the regional lymph nodes, following antigen injection. If tumor cells have reached the regional lymph nodes and the immune response has been initiated by the time a tumor becomes clinically apparent, then prophylactic irradiation or dissection of these lymph nodes should not interfere with tumor control by the usual therapeutic methods. However, if this is not the case, and the body has not recognized the tumor antigens, then lymphadenectomy and to a much lesser degree, irradiation, may result in less effective therapeutic results. Further understanding of the processes involved in tumor dissemination in patients is necessary to correlate these experimental observations with the clinical management of cancer.