A study of the vascular dissemination of tumor cells in cortisone-treated mice

Abstract

The occurrence of circulating neoplastic cells was studied in cortisone-treated and in untreated tumor-bearing mice which received isografts of three different neoplasms. It was found that the hormonal treatment did not modify the preexisting number of circulating emboli. In addition, it was observed that the enhancing effect of cortisone on secondary tumors was only present in animals inoculated with a tumor which has the natural capacity of delivering malignant emboli into the circulation.