[Morphological correlates of anti-tumor immunity. IV. Mastocytes in regional lymph nodes].

Mastocytes of regional lymph nodes were studied in three groups of oncological patients suffering from cancer of stomach, breast or lung. Lymph nodes in all three groups showed varied numbers of mastocytes; top figures were found in stomach cancer. There was a convincing relation of lymph node mastocyte number neither to lymphatic tissue reaction (predominant lymphocytes, predominant germinal centres, lymphocyte depletion, sinus histiocytosis, unstimulated lymph node) nor to frequency of secondaries nor to patient survival rate.