EFFECT OF TUMOR-ASSOCIATED TISSUE EOSINOPHILIA ON SURVIVAL OF WOMEN WITH STAGE-IB CARCINOMA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX

Aims-To examine the survival of a group of women with stage IB invasiv e carcinoma of the uterine cervix, divided according to the expression of tumour associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE). Methods-Histological material from 81 women with stage IB squamous and adenosquamous cervi cal carcinomas before radiotherapy was assessed for the extent of tiss ue stromal eosinophilia, quantified using antibodies to human major ba sic protein. Results-Twenty eight (38%) of the cases demonstrated TATE of over 30 eosinophils/mm2, with 12 (16%) having greater than 100 eos inophils/mm2. Eleven women in the series developed distant spread or r ecurrent pelvic disease, this group having a stromal eosinophil densit y significantly less (13.8/mm2) than the remainder (69.9/mm2) (p = 0.0 3). The acturial five year survival rate for women with a tumour eosin ophil density over 30/mm2 was 92% compared with 70% with a density und er 30 mm2, with a significant difference in the survival curves for th ese two groups (p = 0.03). Conclusions-As a univariate parameter, a tu mour associated tissue eosinophilia of at least modest proportions is associated with statistically improved survival in women with stage IB cervical carcinomas.