Transformation of blood monocytes to giant cells in vitro from patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Abstract Monocytes from patients with breast cancer and from control subjects were cultured under agarose for 6 days. Giant cell formation occurred in 32 out of the 36 patients with breast cancer (89 per cent). In contrast giant cell formation was only observed in two of the control subjects (6 per cent). Menstruation and menopause had no effect on giant cell formation. Furthermore, under the experimental conditions of this study, it seems unlikely that serum factors, lymphokines or phagocytic stimulators induced giant cell formation. The results therefore, suggest that giant cell formation may be initiated by viruses already present in the monocytes from patients with breast cancer. Further studies are required to confirm this hypothesis and to elucidate the significance of giant cell formation in the pathogenesis of breast cancer.