Trauma, dextran 40 and metastasis formation after intravenous tumour cell injection in rats.

Dextran 40 did not influence the formation of pulmonary metastases after intravenous tumour cell injection in untraumatized dextran non-sensitive Wistar rats. Trauma significantly increased the formation of metastases and treatment with dextran 40 enhanced this effect of trauma markedly. No definite explanation of the effect of dextran 40 on pulmonary metastasis formation when combined when trauma can be offered, but possible mechanisms are discussed.