Mononuclear cell infiltrate and HLA-Dr expression in intra- and extradural secondary carcinomas

Abstract

Frozen sections from 30 secondary carcinomas (22 intra- and 8 extradural) were reacted with a panel of monoclonal antibodies to macrophages, lymphocytes, NK cells and HLA-Dr invariant chain. A moderate number of macrophages was demonstrated in 91% of tumours. CD 8 and CD 4 lymphocytes were detected in smaller numbers in 68% and 28% of tumours respectively. B lymphocytes were present in only one tumour and NK cells were absent. There was no significant difference between the mononuclear cell infiltrate in the intra- and extradural tumours and in respect to the histological tumour type. HLA-Dr antigen was expressed by macrophages in most cases and by tumour cells in 5/22 (22%) (4 adeno and 1 anaplastic carcinoma; of which one adenocarcinoma was extradural and the remaining intradural). The results may represent evidence for a degree of cellular immune response to secondary carcinomas which is independent of the intra- or extradural location of the tumour.