title: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and breast cancer: Beyond the prognostic and predictive utility.
abstract: The importance of the immune system as a potent anti-tumor defense has been consolidated in recent times, and novel immune-related therapies are today demonstrating a strong clinical benefit in the setting of several solid neoplasms. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes reflect the attempt of the host to eradicate malignancies, and during the last decades, they have been shown to possess an interesting prognostic utility for breast cancer, especially in case of HER2 positive and triple-negative molecular subtypes. In parallel, the clinical evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has been shown to effectively predict treatment outcomes in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings. Currently, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are promising further predictive utility in view of novel immune-related therapeutic strategies which are coming into the clinical setting launching a solid rationale for the future next-generation treatment options. In this scenario, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes might represent an important resource for the selection of the most appropriate therapeutic strategy, as well as further evaluations of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the immunoediting process would eventually provide new insights to augment therapeutic success. Considering these perspectives, we review the potential utility of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the definition of breast cancer prognosis and in the prediction of treatment outcomes, along with the new promising molecular-based therapeutic discoveries.
authors.affiliation: 1 UO Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, US Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.|2 Unit of Experimental Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravelli
authors.affiliation: 3 Section of Pharmacology and University Center DIFF-Drug Innovation Forward Future, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giandomenico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roviello
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Experimental Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cretella
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Experimental Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavazzoni
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Experimental Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.affiliation: 1 UO Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, US Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.affiliation: 1 UO Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, US Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zanotti
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Anatomical Pathology, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Anatomical Pathology, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ungari
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanconati
authors.affiliation: 1 UO Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, US Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bottini
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Experimental Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Experimental Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Pier Giorgio
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Petronini
authors.affiliation: 1 UO Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, US Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, AO Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.|5 Department of Medical, Surgery and Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Generali
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes; breast cancer; cancer immunotherapy