[An immunohistochemical study with monoclonal antibodies on lymphocytes infiltrating in cervical cancer]

We investigated lymphocytes infiltrating cervical cancer by an immunohistochemical method. Frozen sections (20 with frank invasive cancer, 4 with MIC, 5 with CIS, 6 with dysplasia, 3 normal) were stained by the ABC (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex) method using monoclonal antibodies to identify functional subsets of lymphocytes. The monoclonal antibodies used were anti Leu 1 (T cell), anti Leu 2a (cytotoxic/suppressor T cell), anti Leu 3a (helper/inducer T cell), anti Leu 10 (B cell) and anti Leu 7 (NK cell). The results were as follows: Many lymphocytes infiltrated and surrounded the cancer nests, and there, T cells predominated over B cells. The intensity of infiltration of T cells was not correlated with the grade and prognosis of cervical cancer. The ratio of Leu 2a+ cells to Leu 3a+ cells tended to change with the advance of cancer. Leu 2a+ cells were relatively predominant in early cases and cases with a good prognosis. There were very few B cells close to cancer nests, and they were not correlated with the grade and prognosis of cervical cancer. NK cells were identified in many cases, but they were scattered and were not correlated with grade and prognosis of cervical cancer.