Abstract
BackgroundInflammatory 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.MethodsTissue 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.ResultsStromal 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.ConclusionA 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.
Highlights
Inflammatory cells in the tumour stroma has gained increasing interest recently
Tumour-associated eosinophilia has been observed in human cancers, sometimes with different results regarding their association with clinical outcome [6,7,8,9,10,11]
Mast cells derive from a specific bone marrow progenitor cell and migrate into tissues where they mature depending on the microenvironmental conditions
Summary
We aimed to study the frequency and prognostic impact of stromal mast cells and tumour infiltrating eosinophils in invasive breast carcinomas. Mast cells could be detrimental to tumour growth by secreting several cytokines and proteolytic enzymes participating in inducing apoptosis of the malignant cells, such as IL-4 [13]. The dual role of mast cells in inhibiting or promoting tumour growth needs to be further investigated [14]. In lymph nodes of women with breast cancer a higher number of mast cells were found in the non-involved axillary lymph nodes in those women with a better prognosis [18]. In women with axillary lymph node metastasis more mast cells were found in the non-involved axillary lymph nodes [19]. Eosinophils may serve as a source of SCF which induces the growth of mast cells regulating their activation, degranulation and chemotaxis
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