Relation between natural killer cells and neoplastic cells in serous fluids

✍ Scribed by Javier A. Laurini; Alejandro Garcia; Boris Elsner; Marta Bellotti; Carla Rescia

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 48 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 8755-1039
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0339(200006)22:6<347::aid-dc4>3.0.co;2-t

✦ Synopsis

Natural killer (NK) cells are capable of lysing certain tumor cells in vitro. We investigated whether the percentage of NK cells (NK%) in serous effusions has any relation with the presence of malignant cells. Fresh effusions were routinely processed, and a portion of them was submitted for lymphocyte immunophenotyping, using a flow cytometer. Fifty-one fluids (15 peritoneal, 36 pleural), from 47 patients were analyzed. Thirty-two cases were negative and 19 were positive for neoplastic cells: there were 13 adenocarcinomas, 2 malignant mesotheliomas (MM), 3 malignant lymphomas (ML), and 1 rhabdomyosarcoma (R). Negative cases showed an average NK% of 5.09% (1-16%). Effusions positive for adenocarcinoma had an average NK% of 22.08% (12-33%) (P < 0.001). MM, ML, and R had a low NK%, with an average of 3.01% (0-5%). Investigation of the NK% could be useful in cytologically doubtful cases and in the differential diagnosis between MM and adenocarcinoma.