Histopathology
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The major value of prognostic markers in potentially curable non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) should be to guide therapy after surgical resection. The prognostic significance of tumour-infiltrating macrophages, their growth factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and its receptor, colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R), as well as natural killer cells and dendritic cells, is controversial. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of these markers in the epithelial and stromal compartments of NSCLC. ⋯ High density of stromal CD56+ cells is an independent factor associated with improved prognosis in resected NSCLC, suggesting that these cells mediate an antitumour immune response in the tumour stroma.