Background: The density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has been reported to reflect the antitumor immune status, and many reports have shown that tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and total T-lymphocytes may be strong prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer. We previously reported that the density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections may be an easily available prognostic biomarker. However, it remains unclear whether the density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections accurately reflects the antitumor immune status.
Patients and methods: A total of 308 patients who underwent curative resection for stage II/III colorectal cancer were enrolled. The density of both tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subsets was assessed by immunohistochemistry.
Results: The density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections was significantly and positively correlated with that of tumor-infiltrating CD4+/CD8+/total T-lymphocytes.
Conclusion: The density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections may be a reasonable immunological biomarker.
Keywords: H&E; Tumor-infiltrating immune cells; colorectal cancer; immunological biomarker; tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes.
Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.