Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in early breast cancer

Breast. 2018 Feb:37:207-214. doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2017.03.010. Epub 2017 Mar 28.

Abstract

Immunoediting represents a complex and dynamic process involving cancer and immune system cells, composed by three intertwined phases: elimination, equilibrium and escape. A large number of immune cell subtypes are involved, each playing a peculiar role in interacting with cancer cells: cytotoxic CD8+ T cells play a main role in cancer killing by inducing tumor cell death, while FOXP3+ T-regulatory cells represent an immune-inhibitory cell subtype. The evaluation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in H&E routine samples has been shown to represent a reliable surrogate of the immune anti-tumor activity and a robust independent prognostic biomarker in breast cancer (BC) patients, especially in the Tripe Negative and HER2+ subtypes. The present review addresses the mechanisms of breast cancer immunoediting, its cell complexity and prognostic/predictive relevance, providing evidence that TILs represent one the most promising biomarkers for BC patients.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Gene expression; Phenotype; Prognosis; Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • Tumor Escape

Substances

  • Biomarkers