Immunohistochemical analysis of lymphocytic infiltration in the tumor microenvironment in patients operated on for laryngeal cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate semiquantitative and qualitative anal ysis of lymphocytic infiltrations in a neoplasm microenvironment in patient s with laryngeal cancers and the correlation analysis between the intensiti vity degree and composition of lymphocytic infiltration in foreseeing a sur vival time and probability of the appearance of lymph node metastases. Post operative specimens from 43 patients (Upper Silesia region) operated on for laryngeal cancer in the 2nd ENT Department, Silesian Medical University in Zabrze between 1985 and 1995 all had unfavorable courses due to tumor recu rrences. The patients' ages ranged from 39 to 79 years (mean 57 years). Tis sue specimens were subjected to routine processing. The degree of pathologi cal changes was ascertained and immunohistochemical preparations of larynge al tissue were prepared according to generally accepted methods. The follow ing primary monoclonal antibodies were used: CD 3, CD 20, CD 43, CD 45 RO, CD 56. The distribution analysis of the intensity of the phenotype CD 43 ev aluated the lymphocytic infiltration in relation to differentiation of the whole study group. The intensity of CD 43 cell infiltration increased in th e group of patients with lymph node metastases. In patients with stage IV d isease, a relationship was found between survival time and intensity of-cel l infiltrations with CD 43 and CD 45 RO lymphocytes. The influence of these two lymphocyte phenotypes in the patient subgroups - one after total laryn gectomy with confirmed lymph node metastases and the other group without ly mph node metastases showed their prognostic value. Our analysis of lymphocy tic infiltration, mostly of CD 43 cells, in the neoplasm microenvironment i ndicated a prognostic value for determining a shorter survival time and the possibility of lymph node metastases in patients with recurrences of cance r.