Infiltration and significance of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in triple negative breast cancer

ObjectiveTo count the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs) in the primary tumor nests and stroma in patients with triple negative breast cancer(TNBC), and analyze the infiltration of TILs in TNBC and its relationship with clinical prognosis.

MethodsForty-five patients with TNBC were selected from The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College. The expression of TILs in primary tumor nests and stroma were counted by HE staining, and the relationship between TILs and clinical prognosis was analyzed according to the corresponding clinical data and pathological features.

ResultsThe stromal TILs(STILs), intracellular TILs(ITILs) and global TILs were the protective factors of overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival(DFS) in TNBC patients. The number of positive lymph nodes and clinical stage were the risk factors of OS and DFS in TNBC patients. The higher the infiltration levels of STILs, ITILs and TILs were, the better the prognosis was.

ConclusionsThe levels of STILs, ITILs and TILs are the dependent prognostic factors in patients with TNBC.