Computerised counting of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in 90 breast cancer specimens

• Published in: Cancer letters 1999-05, Vol.139 (1), p.33-41
• Main Authors: Marsigliante, S., Biscozzo, L., Marra, A., Nicolardi, G., Leo, G., Lobreglio, G.B., Storelli, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blood & organ donations; Blood cells; Blood donors; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma; CD20 antigen; CD25 antigen; CD3 antigen; CD3 Complex - metabolism; CD4 antigen; CD4 Antigens - metabolism; CD56 antigen; CD8 antigen; CD8 Antigens - metabolism; Counting; Cytotoxicity; Female; Flow cytometry; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Histology; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Immunoglobulins; Immunohistochemistry; Lymph nodes; Lymphatic system; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating - pathology; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Peripheral blood; Tumors
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3835(98)00379-6

Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) implicated in immunologic cytotoxicity were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and digitally counted in serial sections from 90 breast cancers in order to assess their number, the relationships between them and to tumour histology. CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD20+, CD25+ and CD56+ lymphocytes were found in 58 (64.4%), 52 (57.7%), 50 (55.5%), 22 (24.4%), 11 (12.2%) and 21 (23.3%) tumours, respectively. There was no difference in the number of TILs between pure infiltrating ductal (NOS) and non-ductal carcinomas, and no relationship between TILs and histological grades was found. CD3+TILs directly correlated to age, while lymph node negative patients had tumours infiltrated by fewer CD4+TILs with respect to lymph node positive patients. In 25/90 patients, randomly chosen, the status of peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated but no differences with respect to the status found in healthy blood donors was obtained; nonetheless while in some patients CD8+TILs outnumbered CD4+TILs in situ, the CD4/CD8 ratio was normal in their peripheral blood. The results show a considerable diversity of TILs among breast tumours, their lack of relationship with the status of the peripheral blood cells, and their potential important relationship with age (CD3+) and lymph node status (CD4+).