Immunomodulatory Activity in Regional Lymph Nodes

Abstract

\s=b\This study is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to evaluate cellular immune mechanisms in regional lymph nodes of patients with head and neck cancer. Twenty lymph nodes from eight patients with stage III-IV squamous cell carcinoma were evaluated using an in vitro culture system. The T-cell mitogenic (concanavalin A) response of patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells was modulated by the addition of cells from regional lymph nodes removed at neck dissection. Modulatory activity showing augmentation was significantly correlated with the size of the primary tumor and histopathologic grade of the tumor. Modulatory activity did not correlate with the histologic pattern of lymph node reactivity. Although these relationships suggest that regional immunity may be important in tumor-host interactions, further study is necessary to establish their biologic and prognostic importance. (Arch Otolaryngol 1983;109:785-788) Prognosis of patients with squa¬ mous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck has been primarily based on anatomical properties of the tumor. Site and size of the primary, histopathologic grade, and presence of regional metastasis have proved to be prominent predictors of patient sur¬ vival. Regional metastasis is a major determinant of tumor aggressiveness. Number, size, and distribution of regional cancerous lymph nodes con¬ tribute to determining overall progno¬ sis.15

Dendritic Cell Identification in Head and Neck Lymphoid Tissue: Newly Recognized Cells Control T-Lymphocyte Functions

“…Previous research has identified a normal distribution of and cells in tonsils,25 and more recent work has identified immunomodulatory activity of the mixed lym¬ phocyte response that can be identi¬ fied in the lymph nodes of patients with various types of head and neck cancers. 29 The latter report identifies an activity that lies within the realm of dendritic cell control.…”

Tumor Differentiation and Tumor-Host Interactions as Prognostic Determinants in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lip

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