1. Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes: A Promising Biomarker in Breast Cancer
- Author
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S. Loibl, Ingold Heppner B, and Carsten Denkert
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Oncology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.medical_treatment ,chemical and pharmacologic phenomena ,Review Article ,Disease ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Breast cancer ,Immune system ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Adjuvant therapy ,business.industry ,Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes ,Clinical course ,hemic and immune systems ,medicine.disease ,030104 developmental biology ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Biomarker (medicine) ,Surgery ,business ,Adjuvant - Abstract
There is clear evidence that the immune system plays an essential role in tumor defense. By determining tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), the individual immunological response becomes more apparent and measurable. In breast cancer, high levels of TILs are associated with a more favorable clinical course. In this review, we describe how TILs are determined with emphasis on daily routine diagnostics. We further discuss their impact as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy setting as well as in residual disease. We also discuss their potential future implications on further stratifying prognostic subgroups of breast cancer, thereby possibly influencing future therapy considerations.
- Published
- 2016
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