Prognostic influence of tumor-associated eosinophilic infiltrate in colorectal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
In 1983, Pretlow et al. reported one classical study of the prognostic influence of eosinophil infiltration in human colon carcinoma. Since then, very few reports have analyzed this supposed prognostic influence in this type of tumor, although there have been several reports of other types of tumors with different results. Eosinophils seem to play a central role in the immunologic defense against tumors; their activity can be induced through immunotherapy with interleukin in cases that are unresponsive to conventional therapies.


METHODS
To analyze the prognostic influence of eosinophils in colorectal carcinoma, the authors selected 126 patients with this type of tumor treated only with curative surgery and followed for a minimal period of 5 years. They divided these patients into 4 categories according to the number of eosinophils per high-power field (400x): 0 (Grade 1), 1-9 (Grade 2), 10-50 (Grade 3), and more than 50 (Grade 4).


RESULTS
The results of this series confirm that high eosinophil counts are associated with a significantly better prognosis. In multivariate analysis, this factor was independent from staging, vascularization, p53 expression, and histologic grade.


CONCLUSIONS
Eosinophil count served as a significant independent favorable prognosticator in colorectal carcinoma patients.
Fernández-Aceñero
M J
MJ
Department of Surgical Pathology, Hospital of Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
Galindo-Gallego
M
M
Sanz
J
J
Aljama
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors