Lymphocyte phenotypes at tumor margins in patients with head and neck cancer

Lymphocyte phenotypes were identified by monoclonal antibodies and avidin-biotin peroxidase reagents and enumerated in tumor tissue removed from 26 patients with head and neck cancer. T lymphocytes (T11) were the predominate phenotype at the tumor margin, with twice as many helper/inducer (T4) as suppressor/cytotoxic (T8) lymphocytes. Patients with Stage II and III carcinoma of the glottis, tongue, and hypopharynx had significantly increased numbers of all T lymphocyte phenotypes when compared to patients with Stage IV disease, thus achieving statistical significance for the T11 and T8 phenotypes. All patients were followed for 2.5 years; those patients who remained free of malignant disease had an increased number of all T lymphocyte phenotypes compared to patients with recurrent malignancy, but this did not achieve statistical significance. Thus, increased numbers of T11 positive lymphocytes of both the T4 and T8 subsets in the tissue at the margins of head and neck tumors were associated with a more favorable prognosis. These results support the concept of an immunologic reaction at the tumor margin, which may be limiting the growth and spread of tumor.