LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS IN SUPERFICIAL BLADDER-CANCER - CORRELATION WITH THE BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITY OF THE TUMORS

Background: The investigation of relationship of tumour biological act ivity and the degree of tissue infiltrating lymphocytes (T4, T8, T6) a nd macrophages in bladder cancer was the purpose of this study. Materi als and Methods: Tumour specimens and near and distant biopsies from 2 6 patients suffering from superficial bladder cancer and bladder biops ies from 6 controls were studied. Monoclonal antibodies against T help er/inducer, (CD4), T suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8), Langerhans cells (CD1 a) and Monocytes/Histiocytes (LeuM(5)) were used for the detection of lymphocyte subpopulations. Ki67 growth fractions and recurrence rate p er 100 patients-months were used for the definition of the biological activity of the tumours. Results: The degree of tissue infiltrating ly mphocytes differed significantly between controls and both groups. Lar ger (but not significantly different) numbers were noticed in the non recurrence compared to the recurrence group of patients. Conclusions: We conclude that the host's immune defence mechanism against malignant cells does not seem To produce significantly different numbers of tis sue infiltrating lymphocytes in tumours of low and high agressiveness. On the other hand the degree of lymphocyte infiltration in bladder ca ncer is not marked compared to controls of matching age.