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Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Oblivious Confederates in Invasive Mammary Carcinoma

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Indian Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The infiltrating margins of carcinomas are associated with the presence of inflammatory cell infiltrate which are an integral part of the tumor microenvironment. Among the inflammatory cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a key role in the tumorigenesis. This study elucidates the density of TAMs in invasive mammary carcinomas and attempts to establish an association with the following pathological variables: tumor size, histological grade, nodal status, hormonal expression status and Her2Neu overexpression.

Materials and Methods

Ninety diagnosed archival cases of invasive mammary carcinomas at a tertiary care center were included. Density of TAMs was assessed by using CD68 which is a pan-macrophage marker by immunohistochemistry on the archival tissue blocks. The density of TAMs (CD68 positive cells) was dichotomized into high (> 50 CD68 positive cells/HPF) and low (< 50 CD68 positive cells/HPF) and compared with the above-mentioned pathological variables using appropriate statistical tests.

Results

The density of TAMs was significantly higher around the infiltrating edge of the carcinoma in comparison with the adjoining normal terminal duct lobular units. The density of TAMs was more in the infiltrating edge of the tumor than within the tumor nodule/nests. A higher TAM density showed a significant association in tumors having large tumor size, higher histological grade, nodal metastasis, the absence of ER and PR expression and Her2Neu overexpression (p value < 0.05).

Conclusion

TAMs play an important role in tumor progression in invasive mammary carcinomas. This is as a result of the multiple roles enacted by TAMs in the various stages of tumor development starting from tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis and metastases. Targeted therapy against TAMs has great potential in being important components of future treatment strategies against breast carcinomas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College AFMC, Pune, 411040, India

    Imtiaz Ahmed & Manoj Gopal Madakshira

  2. Department of Com Med, Armed Forces Medical College AFMC, Pune, India

    Puja Dudeja

Authors
  1. Imtiaz Ahmed
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  2. Manoj Gopal Madakshira
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  3. Puja Dudeja
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manoj Gopal Madakshira.

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Conflict of interest

Author A (Dr Imitiaz Ahmed) declares that he has no conflict of interest. Author B (Dr Manoj Gopal Madakshira) declares that he has no conflict of interest. Author C (Dr Puja Dudeja) declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

“Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.”

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Ahmed, I., Madakshira, M.G. & Dudeja, P. Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Oblivious Confederates in Invasive Mammary Carcinoma. Indian J Gynecol Oncolog 15, 75 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40944-017-0169-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40944-017-0169-2

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