title: Histological Analysis of γδ T Lymphocytes Infiltrating Human Triple-Negative Breast Carcinomas.
abstract: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women and the second most common cancer worldwide after lung cancer. The remarkable heterogeneity of breast cancers influences numerous diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic factors. Triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBCs) lack expression of HER2 and the estrogen and progesterone receptors and often contain lymphocytic infiltrates. Most of TNBCs are invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) with poor prognosis, whereas prognostically more favorable subtypes such as medullary breast carcinomas (MBCs) are somewhat less frequent. Infiltrating T-cells have been associated with an improved clinical outcome in TNBCs. The prognostic role of γδ T-cells within CD3(+) tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes remains unclear. We analyzed 26 TNBCs, 14 IDCs, and 12 MBCs, using immunohistochemistry for the quantity and patterns of γδ T-cell infiltrates within the tumor microenvironment. In both types of TNBCs, we found higher numbers of γδ T-cells in comparison with normal breast tissues and fibroadenomas. The numbers of infiltrating γδ T-cells were higher in MBCs than in IDCs. γδ T-cells in MBCs were frequently located in direct contact with tumor cells, within the tumor and at its invasive border. In contrast, most γδ T-cells in IDCs were found in clusters within the tumor stroma. These findings could be associated with the fact that the patient's prognosis in MBCs is better than that in IDCs. Further studies to characterize these γδ T-cells at the molecular and functional level are in progress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany ; Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany ; University Hospital "José de San Martin", University of Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Jose Villacorta
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany ; Comprehensive Cancer Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bronsert
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Marzenna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orlowska-Volk
authors.affiliation: University Hospital "José de San Martin", University of Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires , Argentina.
authors.forename: Liliana B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Cancer Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stickeler
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany ; Comprehensive Cancer Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmitt-Graeff
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Gian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kayser
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health , Madison, WI , USA.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malkovsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Freiburg Medical Center , Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fisch
keywords: breast cancer; histology; paraffin material; triple-negative breast cancer; γδ T-cells