LYMPHSPIRATION INCREASED NUMBER AND SIZE OF ATYPICAL RETICULAR CELLS IN THE PALATINE TONSIL OF PATIENTS WITH REMOTE CANCER

Abstract

Atypical cells have been consistently found in the palatine tonsil (PT) in patients withbreast, stomach, and rectal cancer, and less often with gastric polyposis, mastopathy, and softtissue papilloma. The vast majority of the atypical cells is represented by reticular cells, whichare found in smears irrespective of the tumor stage. The number and size of PT atypical reticularcells in patients with remote cancer is higher than in those with non-malignant conditions andhave brightly expressed dysplasia. No atypical reticular cells were found in cytologic smears innormals or in patients with similar demographics and with oral, local, or systemic infection.