The prognostic role of tumor-infiltrating CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to assess the prognostic role of CD4 and CD8 expression and the type, density, localization and distribution of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with breast cancer.


METHODS
Tissue samples were obtained from 88 breast cancer patients with operable disease and ductal histology. Forty-three women had pathologically confirmed axillary lymph node involvement. The TILs and expression of CD8 (cytotoxic T-cells) and CD4 (T-helper cells) were evaluated in the tumor samples using mouse monoclonal antibodies.


RESULTS
Thirteen patients relapsed; nine of them had strong expression of CD4 and CD8, which was statistically significant. The patients with high expression of CD4 or CD8 had distinctly worse cancer specific overall survival (OS). High correlations between CD4 and CD8 expression and lymph node status and intensity of lymphatic infiltrate as well as between both markers were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells may be a valuable prognostic tool and a marker of lymph node involvement.
Matkowski
Rafal
R
Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, 53-413 Wroclaw, Poland. matkowski.r@dco.com.pl
Gisterek
Iwona
I
Halon
Agnieszka
A
Lacko
Aleksandra
A
Szewczyk
Krzysztof
K
Staszek
Urszula
U
Pudelko
Marek
M
Szynglarewicz
Bartlomiej
B
Szelachowska
Jolanta
J
Zolnierek
Andrzej
A
Kornafel
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000166:cytology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone