title: The mononuclear cell infiltrate compared with survival in high-grade astrocytomas.
abstract: Frozen samples from 92 malignant astrocytomas were stained with a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against macrophages and lymphocytes. A follow-up to death was available on 68 cases which form the basis of this study. Large numbers of macrophages were found in all cases; T lymphocytes, mostly of the CD8 phenotype were also seen in moderate numbers in 70% of cases. CD4-positive cells were present in small numbers in 32% and B cells were seen in only 8% of cases. Analysis of the survival showed no demonstrable correlation between the numbers of macrophages or CD4 lymphocytes and survival. The survival curves for parenchymal CD8 infiltration diverged after 9 months suggesting increased survival for those patients without such an infiltration but the difference failed to reach statistical significance (P = 0.37). No correlation between lymphocytic cuffing and survival was seen after studying all paraffin-embedded material. We conclude that there is no significant statistical correlation between survival and the various types of mononuclear cell infiltrating malignant astrocytomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, Great Britain.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Candy
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nicoll
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Compton
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Esiri
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Cruz-Sanchez
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Coakham
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal