Identification of lymphocyte subpopulations in human breast cancer tissue and its significance: an immunoperoxidase study with anti-human T- and B-cell sera.
Subpopulations of the infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer tissue from 31 patients were identified by indirect immunoperoxidase technique with antihuman T- and B-cell sera. In all noncancerous lesions examined (seven cases), B-cells were predominant and T-cells were scarcely found. In contrast, T-cells were predominant in breast cancer tissues (17 in 21 cases). T-cells tended to contact closely with cancer cells or cancer cell nests and accumulated around and in the walls of venules draining the cancer, while B-cells tended to cluster focally apart from cancer cell nests. T-cell infiltration was scanty in scirrhus carcinoma, whereas it was ample in infiltrating papillotubular carcinoma which had a better prognosis. There was a significant reverse correlation between the intensity of the T-cell infiltration and the clinical stages. The intensity of the T cell infiltration was significantly high in patients without lymph node metastasis. These facts suggest the possibility that the infiltrating T-cells in cancer tissue represent host resistance against cancer and that the intensity of the T cell infiltration correlates with the clinical prognosis of the breast cancer patients.
D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000276:immunology; D002293:Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology