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The presence of inflammatory cells in human malignant tumours has been well known for nearly a century. Many authors have suggested the round cell infiltration in and around the tumours as a reaction reflecting host resistance against malignancy. (Underwood, 1974; loachim, 1976). It has been difficult to define histopathological characteristics of prognostic value in relation to the local inflammatory cell reaction in human carcinomas. For clinical purposes, the pathologist's description is often concerned only with the malignant cells. A description of the "stromal reaction" may be missing or expressed in terms such as "chronic inflammation" (when mononuclear cells are predominant) or "acute inflammation" (when granulocytes are predominant). The clinical staging of colorectal carcinomas according to Dukes & Bussey (1958) is still considered to be the best prognostic indicator of survival. However, factors that influence survival in patients within the same Dukes' class are still unknown. Some previous studies have indicated a positive correlation between the density if the lymphocytic infiltration and survival in gastrointestinal carcinoma (Black et al., 1956; Takahashi, 1961; Murray et al., 1975; Syrjanen, 1975; Spratt & Spjut, 1967; Watt & House, 1978). The present study was undertaken to examine whether the reactive cellular infiltration of 100 colorectal carcinomas belonging to Dukes' stage B, was able to predict survival. Among 354 patients with Dukes B colorectal carcinoma treated in Surgical Department 2 of Ullevaal Hospital, 100 were randomly selected for this study. Tumours from 50 patients alive and cancer-free 5 years after operation were compared with tumours from 50 patients who died from their disease less than 5 years after operation. The groups of patients were comparable (Table I). The re-evaluation of the stored H & E stained, 6pym thick histological sections was done without knowledge of the patients' data.