European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background:Breast cancer is a major public health problem for woman. Several
studies suggestedthat development and progression of malignant tumors are
characterized by an interaction with the cells in the tumor microenvironment
including infiltrating immune cells.
Aim:The aim was to investigate relationship between tumor infiltrating
lymphocytes(TILs) in infiltrating breast carcinomaand other recognized
clinicopathological factors.
Material and Methods: 100 cases of infiltrating breast carcinomas were included in
the study.Stromal.TILs status was evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining.
For all statistical data chi-square test was applied using SPSS and Spearman
correlation.P‐ values of less than 0.05 were considered as significant.
Results: Stromal TILs correlated with well-established prognostic markers:HER2
positivity(P=0.001),higher tumour grade (P=0.016), ER negativity (P=0.015), PR
negativity (P=0.008),lymphnode status(P=0.005) and lymphovascular invasion(LVI)
(P=0.001), molecular classification (P=0.000) , and p53 positivity (P=0.013). No
correlation between CD10 positivity or high proliferative index( KI67)and stromal
TILs.
Conclusion:Stromal TILs is directly correlated more aggressive phenotype:HER2
positivity ,ER negativity, PR negativity ,molecular classification, present LVI,
higher tumor grade and greater nodal involvement;so TILs could be used as novel
predictive and prognostic parameter and used to develop newer drugs
(immunotherapy).