title: Presence and quantification of macrophages in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.
abstract: Cervical cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in women. The presence of macrophages as well as other inflammatory cells has been noted in many of these tumors. Intratumoral macrophages/monocytes induce anergy to cytokine therapy and cause apoptosis in natural killer(NK) and T cells. The aim of this study was to better evaluate and quantify the presence of macrophages in these tumors. Twenty-four cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix seen at our institution were evaluated. Sections were stained with CD68, a marker for macrophages. Staining was graded microscopically by two reviewers together on a scale of 0-4+, with 4+ representing the greatest number of positive cells. Image analysis was conducted to quantify the percent area stained in a given lesion. For each lesion, 10 fields were evaluated, and a mean percentage area stained was calculated. 4+ staining was observed in five cases, 3+ in zero cases, 2+ in three cases, 1+ in six cases, 1-2+ in one case, and nine cases were negative. Image analysis results correlated well with the light microscopic scoring. Presence of a prominent infiltrate of macrophages did not correlate with tumor grade or with histologic lymph node status, but showed a strong negative correlation with tumor stage. Some squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix show a prominent macrophage component in the tumor-associated inflammatory infiltrate. The presence of this prominent infiltration of macrophages did not correlate with tumor grade or lymph node status, but showed a strong negative correlation with tumor stage. The results suggest that immunotherapy may have a potential role in the treatment of cervical carcinoma. Computerized image analysis appears to be a valid measure to assess macrophage counts in such lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey. hellers@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hameed
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cracchiolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiederkehr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skurnick
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ammar
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule