[Relation between lymphogenous metastasis of cancer of the rectum and the structure and function of the lymphatic bed].

Lymph vessels of the rectum in health and during early stages of metastasizing rectal cancer were studied. It was shown that changes occurring at this stage constitute the "cascade" process whose stages are determined by 3 structural elements of the rectal lymphatic vasculature, i. e. capillary, postcapillary, and vessel. Compensatory adaptive changes in the lymphatic routes in rectal cancer and in cases of secondary metastases to the rectum were examined.