LANGERHANS CELLS HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON POS TOPERATIVE SURVIVAL OF ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

Objective. Langerhans' cells (LC) in several tumors have been related to a better postoperative prognosis. We have performed the present stu dy in order to verify this hypothesis for oesophageal squamous cell ca rcinoma (OSCC). Experimental design: A retrospective analysis of histo logic preparations of OSCC was made. For the identification of LC, the deparaffinized sections were stained with anti S-100 protein antibody using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method. We assessed the presence of LC in the whole tumour, in the stroma and in the epith elium. We also analyzed their influence on postoperative survival and their relation to histologic differentiation, wall involvement, peritu moral lymphocytic infiltration and microscopic growth type. Patients: 35 patients who underwent standard esophagectomy for OSCC. None had re ceived radiotherapy and none died from postoperative complications. Re sults: LC were found in 88,6% of patients. In 31,4% only in the epithe lium and 17,1 % exclusively in the stroma. Mean celular density was gr eater in epithelium (NS). A higher two-year survival was found in pati ents with a greater cellular density without statistical significance. More than 15 LC/mm2 were associated with infiltrative growth type tum ors whereas less than 15 LC/mm2 were associated with infiltrative grow th type ones (P < 0,01). No statistical significant correlations were found with other parameters. Conclusions: Our results do not support a n influence of the LC on the OSCC postoperative survival. We have show n an association between LC density and growth type but its significan ce is still undetermined.