Dendritic cells: friends or foes of laryngeal cancer?

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells are important keyplayers of various malignant tumors but less studied in laryngeal malignancies. We assessed the immunohistochemical expression and distribution of dendritic cells in different types of laryngeal carcinomas and tried to find if they could influence evolution and prognosis of such malignancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was applied on 49 laryngeal tumors. Dendritic cells were identified by using S100 protein staining. The specimens were then evaluated for dendritic cells presence, number and distribution. RESULTS: S100 positive cells were identified in all cases of squamous cell carcinoma, being absent in the case of adenoid cell carcinoma. Squamous cells carcinomas had the highest numbers of S100 positive cells. For them, we encountered an inverse correlation between peri- and intra-tumor S100 positive cells density. Intraepithelial dendritic cells density was lower for undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma, also as for stroma of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Poorly differentiated carcinoma had a higher density of stromal S100 positive cells. S100 positive cells were identified in tumor area with squamous differentiation in all cases, and in peritumor area in 41 cases (83.67%). S100 positive cells density was correlated with tumor grade but not with invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Taking together, our results suggest that migration of stromal dendritic cells inside tumor areas could be an important component of the antitumor immune response induction and thus, S100 positive dendritic cells may be considered as a favorable prognostic factor in laryngeal carcinomas.

Histopathological prognostic and risk factors in patients with laryngeal neoplasms.

UNLABELLED: Head and neck cancer is a public health problem, accounting for the fifth place of all human cancers. Each year in the US, 3% of new cases of cancer develop in this sphere. Histopathology of the primary tumor and/or laterocervical adenopathy is essential to establish the therapeutic strategy. Histopathological findings reveal a diagnostic certainty and also provide prognostic information. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have prospectively studied a number of 95 patients with laryngeal neoplasms, which were treated in the ENT Clinic of Timisoara, Romania. The group of patients with neoplasic disease was subdivided into two groups: group 1 - patients with palpable laterocervical adenopathy and detected primary tumor (T+N+), and group 2 - patients without palpable laterocervical adenopathy, but with detected primary tumor (T+N0). Only patients with squamous cell carcinomas were included in this study. We assessed the following microscope parameters: neoplasm confirmation, histological type of neoplasm, the degree of tumor differentiation, intratumoral inflammatory reaction, perineural infiltration and the cell invasion in the small vessels. All patients underwent surgery. RESULTS: N2 and N3 stage adenopathies were more common in patients with medium or low degree of cell differentiation; they were associated with weak inflammatory response of the primary tumor, within vascular invasion alone or associated with the perineural infiltration. N0 and N1 adenopathies were associated with average and good cell differentiation degree, with rich inflammatory infiltrate. CONCLUSIONS: Histopathological examination of the primary tumor and cervical adenopathy is essential in establishing the diagnosis and the therapeutic approach. Histopathological examination offers information on the prognosis. Cell differentiation degree, inflammatory reaction and the cell invasion in the small vessels are the main prognostic factors of laryngeal neoplasms.

Mast cell reaction in malignant laryngeal neoplasm.

INTRODUCTION: Mast cells are normal connective tissue residents. Their densities vary from an organ to other, but are constantly well represented in respiratory tract. Mast cell hyperplasia was found in many malignant tumors, but the significance of this phenomenon is still unknown. In the literature, there are few data about mast cell reaction in malignant laryngeal neoplasm. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied archive blocks from 127 laryngeal carcinomas. For histological diagnosis two sections were prepared for Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and Alcian blue-Safranin histochemistry at pH 0.2 for identifying mast cells. Examination has been performed with Nikon Eclipse 600 microscope. Microscopic images were analyzed with Lucia G program. Microvessel density was calculated using the hot spot method. RESULTS: Most of the cases were squamous cell carcinoma G1 - 24.4%, G2 - 56.69%, G3 - 18.11%, and 0.78% adenoid cystic carcinoma. Invasive squamous cell carcinoma mast cell microdensity was 2.19 and 4.66 in microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma. Mast cell microdensity in malignant laryngeal papillomatosis was 9.33 and 46.66 in adenoid cystic carcinoma. In carcinoma-associated mast cell hyperplasia, the large majority of mast cells were Alcian blue positive. CONCLUSIONS: In early stages, the mast cells are numerous (microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma mast cell microdensity 4.66) and rare or even absent in late stages (invasive squamous cell carcinoma mast cell microdensity 2.19). Mast cell microdensity in malignant laryngeal papillomatosis was 9.33 and 46.66 in cystic carcinoma. Alcianophil mast cells are present in tumor area, and safraninophil mast cells are residents of connective and muscular tissue, at a distance from the tumor.