Number of Intratumoral T Lymphocytes Is Associated With Lymph Node Size, Lymph Node Harvest, and Outcome in Node-Negative Colon Cancer.

Authors :: Märkl B
Wieberneit J
Kretsinger H
Mayr P
Anthuber M
Arnholdt HM
Schenkirsch G
Source :: American journal of clinical pathology [Am J Clin Pathol] 2016 Jun; Vol. 145 (6), pp. 826-36. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Jun 21.
Publication Year :: 2016
Abstract: Objectives: We postulated that lymph node (LN) harvest and LN size are influenced by immunologic effects.<br />Methods: To investigate this hypothesis, we performed a retrospective analysis of 170 node-negative colon cancer cases to evaluate the density of intratumoral T lymphocytes (ITLs). CD3- and CD8-positive T cells were counted using a digital system.<br />Results: The ITL density was significantly increased in cases with sufficient LN harvest and high numbers of LNs larger than 5 mm (LN5). High ITL numbers were associated with improved cancer-specific survival. The analysis of the immune score revealed a significantly different cancer-specific outcome (P = .024), with no cancer-related death in the group with the highest score. The immune score and tumor budding were independently prognostic.<br />Conclusions: ITL density is independently prognostic and associated with LN harvest and LN size. The immune response is very likely the true explanation for the known prognostic effect of the LN harvest in colon cancer.<br /> (© American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Subjects :: Aged
Area Under Curve
Colonic Neoplasms mortality
Colonic Neoplasms pathology
Female
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Immunohistochemistry
Kaplan-Meier Estimate
Male
Middle Aged
Prognosis
ROC Curve
Retrospective Studies
Sensitivity and Specificity
Colonic Neoplasms immunology
Lymph Nodes pathology
Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating pathology
T-Lymphocytes pathology

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