Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma
BackgroundThe prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been established. However, the prognostic significance of CD4+ and CD8+ TIL subtypes in NPC remains unclear.MethodsWe collected 214 tissue samples diagnosed with NPC for immunohistochemical...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1551980/full |
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| author | Xinjing Li Xiaoming Qiu Cuihong Lin Yuanying Liu Yongbin Wang Langlang Tang Yuanhe Tong Linbo Tang |
| author_facet | Xinjing Li Xiaoming Qiu Cuihong Lin Yuanying Liu Yongbin Wang Langlang Tang Yuanhe Tong Linbo Tang |
| author_sort | Xinjing Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been established. However, the prognostic significance of CD4+ and CD8+ TIL subtypes in NPC remains unclear.MethodsWe collected 214 tissue samples diagnosed with NPC for immunohistochemical staining. The density of CD4+ and CD8+ TILs was evaluated in intratumoral (within tumor cell nests) and stromal (the surrounding stroma of tumor cell nests) areas. Correlations between TIL density and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.ResultsHigh levels of intratumoral CD8+ TILs were significantly associated with reduced risk of disease progression (HR 0.382; 95% CI, 0.178-0.819, P = 0.013) and death (HR 0.265; 95% CI, 0.104-0.675, P = 0.005). Although high stromal CD8+ TIL levels were linked to higher PFS and OS, these differences did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.114 and P = 0.079, respectively). CD4+ TILs showed no significant correlation with PFS or OS. In multivariate analysis, intratumoral CD8+ TILs remained an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that in patients with locally advanced disease, high intratumoral CD8+ TILs were significantly associated with improved PFS (HR 0.329; 95% CI, 0.129-0.843, P = 0.021) and OS (HR 0.209; 95% CI, 0.064-0.681, P = 0.009). Conversely, in early-stage patients, neither CD8+ nor CD4+ TILs were significantly associated with PFS or OS.ConclusionOur findings suggest that intratumoral CD8+ TILs serve as a reliable prognostic biomarker for NPC, with their prognostic value particularly pronounced in patients with locally advanced disease. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5bf58d0e5a084b75a39cd4b6d04f8886 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-5bf58d0e5a084b75a39cd4b6d04f88862025-08-20T03:49:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2025-05-011510.3389/fonc.2025.15519801551980Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinomaXinjing Li0Xiaoming Qiu1Cuihong Lin2Yuanying Liu3Yongbin Wang4Langlang Tang5Yuanhe Tong6Linbo Tang7Department of Pathology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, ChinaBackgroundThe prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been established. However, the prognostic significance of CD4+ and CD8+ TIL subtypes in NPC remains unclear.MethodsWe collected 214 tissue samples diagnosed with NPC for immunohistochemical staining. The density of CD4+ and CD8+ TILs was evaluated in intratumoral (within tumor cell nests) and stromal (the surrounding stroma of tumor cell nests) areas. Correlations between TIL density and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.ResultsHigh levels of intratumoral CD8+ TILs were significantly associated with reduced risk of disease progression (HR 0.382; 95% CI, 0.178-0.819, P = 0.013) and death (HR 0.265; 95% CI, 0.104-0.675, P = 0.005). Although high stromal CD8+ TIL levels were linked to higher PFS and OS, these differences did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.114 and P = 0.079, respectively). CD4+ TILs showed no significant correlation with PFS or OS. In multivariate analysis, intratumoral CD8+ TILs remained an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that in patients with locally advanced disease, high intratumoral CD8+ TILs were significantly associated with improved PFS (HR 0.329; 95% CI, 0.129-0.843, P = 0.021) and OS (HR 0.209; 95% CI, 0.064-0.681, P = 0.009). Conversely, in early-stage patients, neither CD8+ nor CD4+ TILs were significantly associated with PFS or OS.ConclusionOur findings suggest that intratumoral CD8+ TILs serve as a reliable prognostic biomarker for NPC, with their prognostic value particularly pronounced in patients with locally advanced disease.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1551980/fullnasopharyngeal carcinomaimmunohistochemistrytumor-infiltrating lymphocyteCD4CD8prognosis |
| spellingShingle | Xinjing Li Xiaoming Qiu Cuihong Lin Yuanying Liu Yongbin Wang Langlang Tang Yuanhe Tong Linbo Tang Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma Frontiers in Oncology nasopharyngeal carcinoma immunohistochemistry tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte CD4 CD8 prognosis |
| title | Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| title_full | Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| title_fullStr | Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| title_short | Intratumoral CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio-chemoradiotherapy-treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| title_sort | intratumoral cd8 tumor infiltrating lymphocytes as prognostic predictors in radio chemoradiotherapy treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| topic | nasopharyngeal carcinoma immunohistochemistry tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte CD4 CD8 prognosis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1551980/full |
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