Immunohistochemistry of infiltrating lymphocytes in uveal malignant melanoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate using immunohistochemistry the unusual finding that tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in uveal melanomas are associated with a higher mortality rate.


METHODS
We performed immunohistochemistry for B and T lymphocytes on 80 uveal malignant melanomas, which previously had been reported to contain more than 100 TIL per 20 high-powered fields. In a second study of 90 patients, we counted the number of immunohistochemically stained T lymphocytes per 20 high-powered fields in uveal melanomas from 30 patients who survived at least 15 years after enucleation, from 30 patients who died with metastasis within 2 years, and from 30 patients who died with metastasis more than 10 years after enucleation.


RESULTS
T cells predominated in 73.8% of the 80 patients, and B cells were more prevalent in 13.8%. T cells were usually scattered, and B cells were usually in clumps. Post-enucleation 18-yr mortality from metastasis was 73% for patients with either T- or B-cell predominance of their TIL. The mortality rate was 32% for patients with few TIL. The patients who survived at least 15 yrs after enucleation had fewer T lymphocytes infiltrating their uveal melanomas than the two groups of patients who died with metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of the TIL was different for T and B cells in uveal melanomas. T-lymphocytic infiltration is associated with death due to metastasis.
Whelchel
J C
JC
Department of Ophthalmic Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC 20306-6000.
Farah
S E
SE
McLean
I W
IW
Burnier
M N
MN
D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000473:pathology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*