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Comparative Study
. 2007 Aug 29:7:165.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-7-165.

Mast cells and eosinophils in invasive breast carcinoma

Rose-Marie Amini  1 , Kirsimari Aaltonen, Heli Nevanlinna, Ricardo Carvalho, Laura Salonen, Päivi Heikkilä, Carl Blomqvist
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Mast cells and eosinophils in invasive breast carcinoma

Rose-Marie Amini et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory cells in the tumour stroma has gained increasing interest recently. Thus, we aimed to study the frequency and prognostic impact of stromal mast cells and tumour infiltrating eosinophils in invasive breast carcinomas.

Methods: Tissue microarrays containing 234 cases of invasive breast cancer were prepared and analysed for the presence of stromal mast cells and eosinophils. Tumour infiltrating eosinophils were counted on hematoxylin-eosin slides. Immunostaining for tryptase was done and the total number of mast cells were counted and correlated to the proliferation marker Ki 67, positivity for estrogen and progesterone receptors, clinical parameters and clinical outcome.

Results: Stromal mast cells were found to correlate to low grade tumours and estrogen receptor positivity. There was a total lack of eosinophils in breast cancer tumours.

Conclusion: A high number of mast cells in the tumours correlated to low-grade tumours and estrogen receptor positivity. Eosinophils are not tumour infiltrating in breast cancers.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mast cells express a dark brown immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Metastases-free survival of patients with high mast cell count (>median 7.3) in bold line compared to those with low mast cell count (<7.3).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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