title: Histamine in human breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Histamine inhibits lymphocyte function in vitro at concentrations of greater than 10(-6) mol/l. The aim of this study was to determine whether histamine concentrations in breast cancers were sufficient to produce an immunological effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumour and adjacent normal breast content of histamine was measured using a radioenzymatic assay in 29 patients having surgery for breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median content of histamine in breast cancer tissue was 5.4 (range 0.9-27.3) microg/g (median concentration 4.5 x 10(-5) mol/l), and was significantly greater than that in adjacent breast tissue (P = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The concentration of histamine in breast cancer was sufficient to inhibit lymphocyte function and could be locally immunosuppressive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of New South Wales, St George Hospital, Kogarah, Australia.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Magarey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine