[Immune responses against cancers in cervical lymph nodes of laryngeal carcinoma].

Objective: Densities of dendritic cells (DC) and hyperplastic follicular response in cervical lymph nodes were performed to prove their roles in immune responses against cancers.

Methods: Paraffin blocks were prepared for staining with monoclonal antibodies against CD45RO, CD20 and S-100 proteins,in 157 lymph nodes obtained from elective cervical lymphadenectomy in 47 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.

Results: Quantitative analysis showed that the patients who survived longer than 5 years had significant higher number of follicles and higher extent of infiltration by DCs in the lymph nodes than those who less than 5 years (P < 0.001). According to negative or positive lymph node metastasis, there were statistically significant differences between two groups (P < 0.001). The patients who possessed T cell increase type follicular reaction had significant higher five-year survival rate ( P < 0.01) and lower lymph node metastasis rate (P < 0.05) than those who possessed T cell decrease type reaction.

Conclusion: DCs and hyperplastic follicular response may be more directly involved in the host immune reaction against tumor. The classification of follicular reaction, the densities of DCs and follicular reaction, can serve as important indicators in assessing prognosis of laryngeal carcinomas.