Biomechanical destruction of cancer cells in skeletal muscle: a rate-regulator for hematogenous metastasis.

Following left ventricular injection into mice, B16 melanoma and Ehrlich ascites tumor cells are arrested in the microvasculature of the quadriceps femoris muscles. Within 5 min of delivery the effects of variation in surrounding tissue pressure on the survival of the arrested cells have been determined by bioassays of denervated (relaxed), non-contracting or contracting muscle. The results show that cancer cell survival is greatest in denervated, then non-contracting muscle, and least in electrically stimulated muscle. The results are in accord with the hypothesis that the rapid death of most cancer cells after delivery to at least some target organs is a consequence of their mechanical interactions within the microvasculature.