Identification of subsets of lymphocytes infiltrating head and neck tumor tissue: a preliminary report.

Monoclonal antibodies reactive to distinct subclasses of lymphocytes were used to identify lymphocytes infiltrating tissue obtained from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The majority of lymphocytes present were T-cells with very few B-lymphocytes and natural killer cells present. A variety of patterns of infiltration and relationship of T-helper to T-suppressor lymphocytes was noted. Long-term follow-up studies will be required to determine the clinical significance of infiltration by different T-lymphocyte subclasses.