Evaluation of multiple biologic parameters in cervical carcinoma: high macrophage infiltration in HPV-associated tumors.
A number of diverse biologic parameters have been assessed prior to treatment in a series of patients with cervical carcinoma. Factors analyzed were HPV DNA presence, MHC class I expression, expression of the oncofetal antigen 5T4, the proportions of macrophages, lymphocytes and granulocytes in cell suspensions prepared from tumors, in vitro colony-forming efficiency (CFE) and a measure of intrinsic radiosensitivity, surviving fraction at 2 Gy. Several associations were found. First, HPV DNA-negative tumors contained a small, but significant, decreased number of tumor infiltrating macrophages compared with HPV DNA-positive tumors. Secondly, patients with HPV-positive tumors were significantly younger than those where no HPV was detected. Thirdly, loss of one or more specific alleles in MHC class I positive tumors resulted in higher numbers of tumor lymphocytes and CFEs. Finally, strong expression of the 5T4 antigen was related to a reduction in the proportion of macrophages in tumor cell suspensions. In addition, for stage I and II patients expression of the MHC class I molecule was associated with improved survival compared with patients with tumors where loss of expression was seen.
Connor
M.E.
ME
Cancer Research Campaign Departments of Immunology, Experimental Radiation Oncology and Molecular Biology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital (NHS) Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, UK.
Davidson
S.E.
SE
Stern
P.L
PL
Arrand
J.R.
JR
West
C.M.L.
CM