biostudies-literatureKohrt HENCI NIH HHSe284https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC1198041biostudies-literatureUnknown2(9)<h4>Background</h4>While lymph node metastasis is among the strongest predictors of disease-free and overall survival for patients with breast cancer, the immunological nature of tumor-draining lymph nodes is often ignored, and may provide additional prognostic information on clinical outcome.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>We performed immunohistochemical analysis of 47 sentinel and 104 axillary (nonsentinel) nodes from 77 breast cancer patients with 5 y of follow-up to determine if alterations in CD4, CD8, and CD1a cell populations predict nodal metastasis or disease-free survival. Sentinel and axillary node CD4 and CD8 T cells were decreased in breast cancer patients compared to control nodes. CD1a dendritic cells were also diminished in sentinel and tumor-involved axillary nodes, but incrPLoS medicineProfile of immune cells in axillary lymph nodes predicts disease-free survival in breast cancer.PMC1198041R01 CA 090809R01 CA090809Nowels KKohrt HEHolmes SLee PPJohnson DNouri NfalseProfile of immune cells in axillary lymph nodes predicts disease-free survival in breast cancer.<h4>Background</h4>While lymph node metastasis is among the strongest predictors of disease-free and overall survival for patients with breast cancer, the immunological nature of tumor-draining lymph nodes is often ignored, and may provide additional prognostic information on clinical outcome.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>We performed immunohistochemical analysis of 47 sentinel and 104 axillary (nonsentinel) nodes from 77 breast cancer patients with 5 y of follow-up to determine if alterations in CD4, CD8, and CD1a cell populations predict nodal metastasis or disease-free survival. Sentinel and axillary node CD4 and CD8 T cells were decreased in breast cancer patients compared to control nodes. CD1a dendritic cells were also diminished in sentinel and tumor-involved axillary nodes, but incr2005-01-01T00:00:00Z2005 Sep2025-04-05T12:49:18.785Z2019-03-27T01:09:19ZS-EPMC11980411612483410.1371/journal.pmed.0020284