The production of ocular and orbital neoplasms by intra-arterial inoculation of tumor cells from the Walker carcinosarcoma 256.

The behavior of tumor cells in the ocular and orbital tissues was studied by injecting cell suspensions from Walker carcinosarcoma 256 into the right common carotid artery of Wistar rats. The animals were sacrificed at different postoperative periods up to 12 days, and the intraand extraocular tissues were examined microscopically. Tumors developed, in the ocular and orbital tissues in about one third of the animals, but only after a latent period of 3 to 5 days. During this time isolated tumor cells or clumps of 2 to 4 cells were detected but never any larger cell collections. Most of the ocular andorbital structures excepting the cornea, lens, and vitreous were involved. The right orbit, right eye, left orbit, and, left eye were affected in that order of frequency. The low incidence of tumors on the left side probably resulted from most of the circulating tumor cells being trapped in the lung tissues.