S. Kullander et A. Rausing, PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MONONUCLEAR-CELLS IN HUMAN OVARIAN-TUMORS - WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CYSTIC AND ASCITIC FLUID, International journal of gynecological cancer, 4(5), 1994, pp. 298-305
The occurrence of mononuclear cells and their cell-surface phenotype w
as studied in cryo- and paraffin sections in 26 untreated ovarian tumo
rs and in normal ovarian tissue. T cells (positive for CD4 or CD8 mark
ers) were sparsely represented in all sections of normal ovarian tissu
e and benign ovarian tumors, and in most ovarian cancer sections. B ce
lls were found in three malignant tumors, CD57-positive (natural kille
r) cells in two, and CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor)-positive cells in o
ne. Macrophages occurred sparsely both in normal ovarian tissue and in
benign and malignant ovarian tumors. One endometrioid ovarian cancer,
however, manifested rich infiltration of T cells (predominantly posit
ive for CD8 marker). Cystic fluid from malignancies manifested higher
prostaglandin concentrations and total cell counts than did benign cys
tic fluid, but sparse lymphocytes as a rule (5-10% of the total cell c
ount). As compared to cystic fluid, ascitic fluid had higher concentra
tions both of prostaglandins and cells, with up to 25% lymphocytes in
connection with malignancies. Immunogenic activity thus would appear t
o be weak in ovarian cancer. The harvest of tumor-infiltrating lymphoc
ytes (TIL) from cystic fluid in ovarian cancers is moderate, compared
to that of tumor-associated lymphocytes (TAL) from corresponding ascit
ic fluid samples.