Recently the role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) on immunity has been variously discussed. We studied a series of cell surface antigens in TAMs in colorectal cancer tissues and their corresponding normal tissues using flow cytometry to find out prognostic indicators of these patients. We assessed the numbers of CD14+ macrophages positive for each of the cell surface antigens (CD80, CD86, HLA-DR, CD1a, CD40 and CD83) in cancer tissues and corresponding normal tissues among 31 patients with colorectal cancer, and performed the univariate and multivariate analysis to find out prognostic indicators for overall survival among the patients. The numbers of CD80+, CD86+ and HLA-DR+ TAMs in the cancer tissues were higher than those in corresponding normal tissues. Inversely CD40+ and CD83+ macrophages in cancer tissues were less than those in normal tissues. With the multivariate analysis, the number of CD40+ TAMs, as well as lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis, was shown to be an independent prognostic factor of colorectal cancer patients. The dense infiltration of CD40+ TAM in colorectal cancer tissues indicates a favorable prognosis, which suggests that CD40 plays an important role in the tumor immunity of colorectal cancer.

Breast ultrasonography has gained widespread acceptance as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of human breast disorders. It is important to evaluate the correlation of ultrasonography findings with the corresponding histopathological features. We retrospectively reviewed the 154 cases of breast disorders. We evaluated the correlation the ultrasonography findings and carcinoma cells extension with their corresponding histopathological findings. In addition, we also studied the information on estimation of histological types and cancer extension used by the other modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The concordance rate for margins between ultrasonography findings and histopathological features was 91.6% (P < 0.001) and that for boundary zone was 87.0% (P < 0.001). Histopathological correlation of internal and posterior echoes demonstrated that internal low echo masses were composed of fibroblastic cells with marked collagenization in the stroma, or the cases in which carcinoma cells proliferated in a monotonous, solid and/or expanding manners. Attenuation of posterior echo was detected in the cases associated with hyperplasia of collagenized fibroblastic stroma. An increased cellularity in the mass with prominent large tumor nests and little fibrous stroma demonstrated the accentuation or no alterations of the posterior echo. The concordance rate of borders was 84.4% (P < 0.001). The correlation between estimated histological type by ultrasonography diagnosis and actual histological types was 87.0%. An overall detection rate of carcinoma extension by ultrasonography was 86.4%. In addition, an overall detection rate of carcinoma extension by ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography was 93.8%. These results demonstrated correlation between histopathological and ultrasonographic findings of the breast lesions is cardinal for quality control or improving the quality of ultrasonography.