Experimental cellular allergic reactions in normal canine and malignant human prostate.

This paper describes the histopathology of chronic tuberculin-type hypersensitivity reactions in the normal canine and malignant human prostate. Seven dogs were sensitized by injection of Freund's complete adjuvant and the histological response to the subsequent intra-prostatic injection of 6 mg tuberculin PPD was documented. A chronic mononuclear cell prostatis persisted for 4 weeks and was accompanied by paracortical distension and follicular hyperplasia in regional lymph nodes. Six patients with carcinoma of the prostate were given multiple intraprostatic injections of BCG, which induced a chronic mononuclear cell prostatitis with some evidence of tumour-cell necrosis. The study indicated that the prostate can support chronic cell-mediated allergic reactions to extrinsic antigens and that intra-prostatic injections of BCG can be administered without harmful effects to patients with malignant prostatic disease.