The intratumoural subsite and relation of CD8(+) and FOXP3(+) T lymphocytes in colorectal cancer provide important prognostic clues.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To find improved tools for prognostic evaluation in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), we have analysed how infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8(+)) and regulatory T lymphocytes (FoxP3(+)) correlates to prognosis, not only according to quantity and relation, but also to subsite within tumours of different molecular characteristics (microsatellite instability and CpG island methylator phenotype status).

Methods

CD8 and FOXP3 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 426 archival tumour tissue samples from patients surgically resected for CRC. The average infiltration of CD8(+) and FOXP3(+) cells was assessed along the tumour invasive front, in the tumour centre and within the tumour epithelium (intraepithelial).

Results

We found that in

SUBMITTER: Ling A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4021513 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature