TUMOR-ASSOCIATED MACROPHAGES IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF HEAD AND NECK TUMORS - A STUDY USING MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES

Monoclonal antibodies were used to examine the presence and nature of tumor associated macrophages and T-lymphocytes in 26 cases of squamous cell carinoma of head and neck. The content of macrophages varied according to the differentiation of the carcinoma: high differentiation was evidesced by a labelling index by an index between 13,5% and 23,7%, poor differentiation from 27,4% to 35,8%. T-lymphocytes were found where tumors were imflamed, but there was no significant correlation between tumor differentiation and infiltrating T-lymphocytes. - The present results that prognosis decreases with the increasing number of tumor associated marcophages in squamous cell carcinoma.