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Cellular responses to autologous breast cancer tissue. Sequential observations
Author(s) -
Black Maurice M.,
Leis Henry P.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197308)32:2<384::aid-cncr2820320215>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , mastectomy , axillary lymph nodes , pathology , stage (stratigraphy) , cancer , lymph , biology , paleontology
A skin window procedure was employed to study the cellular responses to ether‐alcohol‐fixed cryostat sections of benign and malignant autologous breast tissue. Responses consistent with cellular hypersensitivity were found in approximately 40% of the tests with cancer tissue but less than 10% of the benign tissue. The relative frequency of positive responses to autologous cancer tissue was correlated with the stage of disease and sinus histiocytosis of the axillary lymph nodes at the time of mastectomy. These correlations were maintained in tests conducted 1‐2 years postoperatively. The findings indicate that immunogenicity accompanies the earliest recognizable stages (in situ) of breast carcinoma and that cellular hypersensitivity is an important variable in the biological behavior of breast cancer. The skin window procedure provides an additional aid in prognosis and follow‐up and may serve as a guide to the individualization of therapy.