Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as easily accessible prognostic tool in adenocarcinoma of the colon.

AIM

To determine the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in colon adenocarcinomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was performed on 180 paraffin blocks of operation material from patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the colon, treated at the Kyiv City Oncology Center in 2013-2018. TILs were counted on histological slides stained with hematoxylin-eosin. By TILs count percentage in tumor slides, the samples were divided into three groups: 0-9% TILs (n = 65); 10-39% TILs (n = 79); and > 40% TILs (n = 36).

RESULTS

Kaplan - Meyer estimate showed that the difference in overall survival between groups was significant (p = 0.001). Multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression model analysis evidenced on significantly better overall survival rates in groups with moderate TILs percentage (hazard ratio 0.54, 95% CI 0.30-0.97, p = 0.042) and high TILs percentage (hazard ratio 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-0.99, p = 0.049), respectively, as compared with low TILs percentage group.

CONCLUSION

TILs content can be considered as an independent prognostic factor for colon adenocarcinoma and used as an additional tool in routine practice of pathologists.