High Tumour-infiltrating Lymphocytes Correlate with Distinct Gene Expression Profile and Favourable Survival in Single Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer

Overview

Journal Contemp Oncol (Pozn)

Publisher Termedia

Specialty Oncology

Date 2024 May 27

PMID 38800535

Authors

Aleksandra Ciarka

Michal Kunc

Marta Popeda

Aleksandra Lacko

Barbara Radecka

Marcin Braun

Joanna Pikiel

Maria Litwiniuk

Katarzyna Pogoda

Ewa Izycka-Swieszewska

Anna Zeller

Magdalena Niemira

Rafal Peksa

Wojciech Biernat

Elzbieta Senkus

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) on the expression of immune-related genes and prognosis in single hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Material and methods: Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes were analysed according to the guidelines of the International TILs Working Group in a cohort of 206 patients with single hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Of these, 44.7% were classified as ER+/PgR-/HER2-, 18.4% as ER+/PgR-/HER2+, 26.2% as ER-/PgR+/HER2-, and 10.7% as ER-/PgR+/HER2+. Moreover, in 52 samples the analysis of gene expression profiling was performed using nCounter technology.

Results: Most cases (74.3%) showed at least 1% of stromal TILs, with a median of 4%, mean of 16.3%, and interquartile range of 0-20%. ER-/PgR+ tumours displayed significantly higher TILs density than ER+/PgR- cases (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon test), regardless of HER2 status. The abundance of TILs was positively associated with ER-/PgR+ phenotype, higher Ki-67, and higher grade, but not with age, tumour size, or regional and distant metastases at diagnosis. Additionally, in ER+/PgR- subgroup higher TILs were associated with HER2-positive status. Stromal TILs > 5% were associated with better survival in the whole group, but this effect was less prominent in ER-/PgR+ patients. We identified 50 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between single hormone receptor-positive breast tumours with high and low TILs, including 39 up-regulated and 11 down-regulated genes in the high TILs group.

Conclusions: The up-regulated expression of immune-related genes was consistent also among separately analysed single hormone receptor-positive groups (ER+/PgR- and ER-/PgR+).

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