Abstract
BackgroundColorectal cancers (CRCs) with microsatellite instability (MSI) are associated with a good prognosis and a high density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We have undertaken to determine the link between TIL densities and MSI CRC histologic features.Patients and MethodsUsing tissue microarrays, T-cell sub-population infiltration, including T cells (CD3), cytotoxic T cells (CD8) and regulatory T cells (FoxP3) were studied in 86 MSI CRCs. We separately analyzed TILs of the stromal and epithelial compartments in the tumor center, the tumoral invasion margin and associated normal tissue.ResultsFor FoxP3+ TIL density in the tumor center stromal compartment, we found a strong negative correlation with T4 stage (p = 0.01), node invasion (p<0.001) and VELIPI (vascular emboli, lymphatic invasion and perinervous invasion) criteria (p = 0.002).ConclusionThe strong correlation between regulatory T cell density and the absence of VELIPI criteria suggests that this sub-group of T cells is preferentially associated with less invasive tumors.
Highlights
Host immune response has been shown to play an important role in determining the outcome of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC)
The strong correlation between regulatory T cell density and the absence of VELIPI criteria suggests that this sub-group of T cells is preferentially associated with less invasive tumors
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density seems to have a better prognosis value than TNM stage [3], and some T cell subpopulations have been shown to be associated with a better CRC clinical outcome, such as cytotoxic T cells (CD8+), Th17 helper T cells and, more controversially, regulatory T cells (FoxP3+) [3,4,5]
Summary
Host immune response has been shown to play an important role in determining the outcome of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Tumors presenting a microsatellite instability (MSI) or replication error phenotype are histopathologically characterized by high TIL density [6,7,8]. These tumors have an overall better prognosis with less disease recurrence and better survival rate than the other CRC counterpart, with microsatellite stable phenotype [9,10]. Colorectal cancers (CRCs) with microsatellite instability (MSI) are associated with a good prognosis and a high density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We have undertaken to determine the link between TIL densities and MSI CRC histologic features
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