Sentinel lymph node metastasis in experimental melanoma: relationships among primary tumor size, lymphatic vessel diameter and 99mTc-labeled human serum albumin clearance.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to investigate the relationships among primary tumor size, lymphatic vessel diameters, the incidence of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis and lymphatic clearance from murine footpad melanomas.


METHODS
Lymphatic clearance (LC) of [99mTc]HSA from the middle of the footpad of syngeneic C57BL/6 mice, with or without primary melanomas (sizes varying from 1 to 5 mm in anteroposterior diameter), was quantitated using a gamma scintillation detection system. Lymphatic vessel diameters (LD) were measured after injection of aniline blue dye into footpad tumors. The incidence of SLN, femoral lymph node (FLN), and lung metastases was recorded.


RESULTS
Metastasis to SLNs increased as tumor growth progressed (r = 0.976, p = 0.001), and there was a correlation between tumor size and both FLN (p = 0.041) and lung (p = 0.055) metastases. There was also a correlation between lymph node metastasis and LC (r = 0.83, p = 0.04) and LD (r = 0.84, p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
These studies support the hypothesis that lymph flow and LD is increased in experimental murine melanomas and this relates to both primary tumor size and to lymphatic and hematogenous metastasis.
Nathanson
S D
SD
Department of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University at Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
Anaya
P
P
Avery
M
M
Hetzel
F W
FW
Sarantou
T
T
Havstad
S
S
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; C017006:aniline blue