Presence of mature DC-Lamp+ dendritic cells in sentinel and non-sentinel lymph nodes of breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Our study examined differences in the presence of mature, DC-Lamp+ DC in the SLN and non-SLN according to the extent of metastatic involvement.


METHODS
Paraffin blocks of the SLN and non-SLN from patients with primary breast cancer who had undergone SLN biopsy and axillary dissection were separated into three groups: (Group A) no tumor cell involvement in the SLN and non-SLN; (Group B) isolated tumor cells or micrometastases in the SLN, and tumor cell-free non-SLN; and (Group C) macrometastases in the SLN. One section of all the SLN and non-SLN was examined with immunohistochemistry using an anti-DC-Lamp-antibody. The densest area occupied by the DC-Lamp+ cells on each slide was quantified and recorded by an electronic imaging system. In this regard, the SLN and non-SLN were compared within the patients of each group using the Wilcoxon signed rank-test (p<0.05).


RESULTS
One hundred and fourteen SLN and 1258 non-SLN from 79 patients were examined. A significantly larger area was occupied by the DC-Lamp(+) cells in the SLN compared to the non-SLN in Groups A (p=0.024) and B (p=0.009), whereas no significant difference was found within Group C (p=0.107).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the DC-dependent immune response is altered during the process of metastasis formation and is primarily activated before and during formation of micrometastasis.
Bembenek
A
A
Department of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Robert Rössle Clinic at Helios-Klinikum Berlin, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Buch, Lindenberger Weg 80, D13125 Berlin, Germany. andreas.bembenek@charite.de
Li
J
J
Loddenkemper
C
C
Kemmner
W
W
Stein
H
H
Wernecke
K D
KD
Schlag
P M
PM
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins