PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MONONUCLEAR-CELLS IN HUMAN OVARIAN-TUMORS - WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CYSTIC AND ASCITIC FLUID

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.