An increase in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes after treatment is significantly associated with a poor response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The reason for the poor prognosis of estrogen receptor (ER) + /human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- breast cancer patients with high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is poorly understood. The association between TILs and response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) was examined.

Methods

We recruited 170 patients with ER + /HER2- breast cancer who were treated with preoperative endocrine monotherapy. TILs were evaluated before and after NET, and their changes were noted. Furthermore, T cell subtypes were examined using CD8 and FOXP3 immunohistochemical analyses. Neutrophil and lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood were analyzed with reference to TIL levels or changes. Responders were defined as Ki67 expression levels ≤ 2.7% after t

SUBMITTER: Fukui R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10404203 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature