Prognostic relevance of sarcopenia and tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ T cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The relationship between sarcopenia, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and long-term survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic relevance of sarcopenia and TILs in patients with HCC.

Methods

We included 351 patients with HCC following liver resection. Sarcopenia was defined based on the skeletal muscle index using computed tomography. Tumor-infiltrating CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, perforin, and granzyme B were examined in liver resection specimens.

Results

Sarcopenia patients had a significantly lower lymphocyte count (p = 0.003), prognostic nutritional index (p = 0.017), and CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell counts (p = 0.008 and p</

SUBMITTER: Doi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11877349 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature