Tumour-associated eosinophilia: a review

In a recent study of cervical carcinoma, 13 cases with a marked eosinophil infiltrate around the tumour were found. The histological appearance of the tumours was distinctive and suggested a specific response, similar to the lymphocyte infiltration in medullary carcinoma of the breast and seminoma. A review of published reports shows that tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) and tumour-associated blood eosinophilia (TABE) may be seen in tumours of different histological types from different anatomical sites, and may occur together or separately. Tumours with TATE alone appear to have a better prognosis that those without, while TABE is associated with tumor spread and a poor prognosis.