The role of lymphocytes and macrophages in human breast tumorigenesis: an immunohistochemical and morphometric study.

The objective of the present study was to analyze the function of lymphoid elements in the tumorigenesis of human breast cancer, similar to their elucidation in human ovarian cancer in our previous work. The lymphocytic and macrophageal content of lymphocytes and macrophages was analyzed immunohistochemically and morphometrically in 49 human breast tumors of different types. The following types of tumors were studied: 1) fibrocystic disease, 2) fibroadenoma, 3) carcinoma in situ, 4) infiltrating ductal and lobular carcinoma with high lymphoid infiltration, and 5) infiltrating ductal and lobular carcinoma with lymphoid depletion.