The Relationship Between Components Of Tumour Inflammatory Cell Infiltration And Hematogenous Metastasis In Patients With Primary Breast Cancer

Objective:Tumors are infiltrated by macrophages, B and T-lymphocytes, which may favor tumor development by promoting growth and invasion. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical correlation between the hematogenous metastasis and the relative amount of macrophages (CD68+), T-lymphocytes (CD3+) and B-lymphocytes (CD20+) either at the invasive front or at the tumor center.Methods:The prevalence of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in peripheral blood of133breast cancer patients was detected by a multimarker comprised of cytokeratin19(CK19), small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) and human mammaglobin (hMAM) real time quantitative RT-PCR (QPCR) platform. Also, we performed an immunohistochemical study counting CD68, CD20and CD3positive cells at the invasive front and at the tumor center, in invasive breast carcinomas. The relationship between the CTC in peripheral blood and immunocyte infiltration was observed.Results:For133patients with breast cancer,30.1%(40out of133),10.5%(14out of133),14.3%(19out of133) of patients was positive for CK19, SBEM, hMAM, respectively; the positive rate of CTC was39.8%(53out of133). The prevalence of CTC in peripheral blood was only observed in invasive breast carcinomas. There was significant difference between tumour inflammatory cell counts at the invasive front and at the tumor center (P=0.000). At the invasive front of the tumor, there were positive correlations among CD68+macrophages of high-density in younger women (Age≤45), ER and PgR negativity, high Ki-67rate, CK5/6positive and basal phenotype subclass (P<0.05). B lymphocyte infiltration of high-density was related to ER and PgR negativity, CK5/6positive and basal phenotype subclass (P<0.05). T lymphocyte infiltration of high-density was related to HER-2overexpression, high Ki-67rate and Erb-B2overexpression subclass (P<0.05). At the tumor center, CD68+macrophages of high-density was concerned with high Ki-67rate, CK5/6positive and basal phenotype subclass (P<0.05). T lymphocyte infiltration of high-density was related to ER and PgR negativity, CK5/6positive and basal phenotype subclass (P<0.05). The prevalence of CTC in peripheral blood was positively correlated with the high density of macrophage, T lymphocyte (P<0.05).Conclusions:Our data support a hypothesis on the presence of macrophage and T lymphocyte infiltrating in the breast cancer microenvironment promote tumor cells dissemination through circulation system, which would have an impact on the disease progress and outcome.