Automated Assessment of the Area of Infiltration by CD8 Cells in Gastric Carcinoma and Areas of Normal Mucosa as a Significant Prognostic Factor.

In 139 patients with verified gastric cancer, the infiltration of the postoperative material with CD8 cells was analyzed. Automated morphometric analysis of immunostained slides was performed separately in different specimen sites (tumor center, invasive edge, and peritumoral mucosa). The mean area of infiltrating CD8 cells in the tumor center and in the invasive edge was not predictive, while in the peritumoral mucosa it provided a new negative predictive factor (hazard ratio 2.10; confidence interval 0.87-4.92, Cox regression) reliably associated with the TNM stage (hazard ratio 1.91; confidence interval 0.91-4.61, Cox regression).