VX2 cancer, which is likely to metastasize, was implanted in rabbit tongue. Following tumor implantation, serial changes in the distribution of lymphatic vessels within the muscles around the tumor, in the vicinity of the tumor and within the tumor stroma were examined, on the basis of the measurement of the activity of 5’-nucleotidase (5'Nase), an enzyme known to be abundant in lymphatic vessels. The VX2 cancer was implanted by injecting a suspension of VX2 cells into the muscles of the left periphery of each rabbit’s tongue. The animals were sacrificed at 7,10, and 14 days after transplantation. The tongue was removed from each sacrificed rabbit, and observed under a light microscope after staining with 5’-Nase.
The tongues of control rabbits, which were not inlected with VX2 cells, were found to have three courses of lymphatic vessels: (1) collecting lymphatic vessels running concomitantry with the deep lingual artery,(2) collecting lymphatic vessels running to the oral floor along the bundle of the genioglossus muscles, and (3) collecting lymphatic vessels in the septum of the tongue.
Ten days after tumor implantation, the diameter of the lymphatic vessels in the vicinity of the tumor became significantly larger than the diameter of those in the control group (P<0.01), indicating the formation of a network of lymphatic vessels surrounding the tumor tissue. The lymphatic vessels within the muscles around the tumor were more tortuous after tumor metastasis to lymph nodes than before metastasis. As the tumor grew and progressed, the lymphatic vessels within the tumor stroma tended to be compressed, and became flatter.
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