The number of tumour-infiltrating TIA-1+ cytotoxic T cells but not FOXP3+ regulatory T cells predicts outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
The prognostic significance of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains controversial. Furthermore, the possible impact of regulatory T cells (T(regs)) on survival in DLBCL is still unknown. We performed a retrospective study on the immunohistochemical expression of cytotoxic cells and T(regs), and their correlation with survival in 195 DLBCL patients. Patients with a small number of cytotoxic T-cell intracytoplasmic antigen-1 (TIA-1)+ T cells (< or =260 cells/mm(2) tumour area; n = 52) had significantly better outcome than patients with a large number (>260 cells/mm(2); n = 143); progression-free survival (PFS) at 5 years was 67% vs. 50% (P = 0.03) and overall survival (OS) was 73% vs. 57% (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, the low TIA-1+ group still had a better PFS (relative risk 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.31-0.99; P = 0.05). The number of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3)+ T(regs) had no influence on PFS (P = 0.89) or OS (P = 0.75). These results suggest that immunohistochemical analysis of cytotoxic T cells at time of diagnosis could provide additional prognostic information. The lack of correlation between the number of FOXP3+ cells and survival could possibly indicate that tumour-infiltrating T(regs) are of less clinical importance in DLBCL. However, these findings need to be explored in functional studies.
Hasselblom
Sverker
S
Section of Haematology and Coagulation, Department of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. sverker.hasselblom@vgregion.se
Sigurdadottir
Margret
M
Hansson
Ulrika
U
Nilsson-Ehle
Herman
H
Ridell
Börje
B
Andersson
Per-Ola
PO
D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D039102:Poly(A)-Binding Proteins; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D015996:Survival Rate; D000074019:T-Cell Intracellular Antigen-1; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D039102:Poly(A)-Binding Proteins; D000074019:T-Cell Intracellular Antigen-1; C071558:TIA1 protein, human