Effects of disseminative route on the liver‐ and lung‐colonizing efficiencies of B16 melanoma and colon‐26 carcinoma in mice

Tumor-colony formation in the liver and lungs of mice was assessed, after delivery of equal numbers of B16 melanoma or colon-26 carcinoma cells via the portal vein or the hepatic artery, and via the pulmonary artery or the bronchial artery. Significantly greater lung involvement occurred after delivery of both cell types Wa the bronchial artery than via the pulmonary artery. In the case of colon-26 cells, liver colonization via the hepatic artery was more efficient than via the portal vein. In the case of B16 cells, no route-dependent differences in liver colonization were detected. Our results indicate that during hematogenous metastasis, the vascular route taken by some cancer cells to the same target organ may considerably modify the efficiency with which they form metastases.