A histopathological study of cardiac candidiasis and its behaviour under immunosuppressive effect of disseminated breast carcinoma

Candidiasis is a fungal infection which patients with solid malignancies are at high risk. While few studies have shown evidence of this disease co-existing with malignancy-induced immunosuppression disease, there never were any exclusive animal studies demonstrating this relationship, especially cardiac candidiasis with breast cancer. In fact, the exact causative mechanism of candidiasis is by and large still under much speculation. This study aims to demonstrate this relationship by observing the histopathological changes of the hearts harvested from female Balb/c mice which were experimentally induced with breast cancer and inoculated with Candida. The mice were randomly assigned to 5 different groups (n = 12). The first group (group 1) was injected with Phosphate Buffer Solution (PBS), the second group (group 2) with Candida, third group (Group 3) with breast cancer and the final two groups, fourth and fifth group (Group 4 and 5) having co-existence of candidiasis and breast cancer at 2 different doses of candidiasis, respectively. Inoculation of mice with candidiasis was done by intravenous injection of Candida albicans via the tail vein after successful culturing methods. Induction of mice with breast cancer is via injection of 4T1 cancer cells at the right axillary mammary fatpad after effective culturing methods. The prepared slides with the livers were stained with Haematoxylin and Eos in (H and E), Periodic Acidic Schiff (PAS) and Gomori Methenamine Silver (GMS) stains for histopathology analysis. Grading of primary tumour and identification of metastatic deposits were done. Scoring of inflammation and congestion in the liver was done. Statistical tests done to compare group 2 and 4 showed that group 4 exhibited a highly statistically significant increase in inflammation and congestion (p<0.01). The median severity of candidiasis was also increased in group 4 as compared to group 2. In conclusion, based on the above evidences, cardiac candidiasis was significantly increased in mice with breast cancer.