Immune cells may improve accuracy of predicting survival in colorectal cancer

Immune cells may improve accuracy of predicting survival in colorectal cancer
Credit: Mayo Clinic

The density of immune cells, called tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, when combined with analysis of tumor budding may serve as a method to more accurately predict survival in patients with stage III colon cancer. The findings, by a team of researchers led by Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and oncologist, Frank Sinicrope, M.D., were published today in Annals of Oncology.

Using colon tissues from a completed clinical trial, Dr. Sinicrope and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that the extent or density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), reflecting the patient's anti-tumor , is a robust predictor of survival in patients with stage III colon cancer. TILs are a type of immune cell that has moved from the blood into a tumor that can recognize and kill cancer cells.

"Our ability to predict patient outcome using TILs is strengthened when we combine it with tumor budding," says Dr. Sinicrope. Tumor budding is the presence of single cells or small clusters of tumor cells at the invasive margin, or front edge of a cancer, which can be scored by pathologists and may predict the potential for the cancer to spread or metastasize.

"Determining the density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and analysis of tumor budding can be performed on resected tumor specimens," says Dr. Sinicrope. "We found that the combination of these tumor features were second only to number of tumor-containing for predicting patient survival. Furthermore, these features provided important data on patient survival in patients categorized into low-risk and high-riskT and N stage groups which guide the recommendation to receive 3 or 6 months of chemotherapy after surgery."

Dr. Sinicrope and his colleagues are working to automate the scoring of TILs and budding in tumors from with stage III colon cancer. "We hope to provide important prognostic information on individual patient tumors using routine tissue sections without the need for the special stains typically used to identify specific immune cell types," he says.

More information: H. Lee et al. Analysis of tumor microenvironmental features to refine prognosis by T, N risk group in patients with stage III colon cancer. Annals of Oncology Available online 25 January 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2020.01.011

Journal information: Annals of Oncology
Provided by Mayo Clinic
Citation: Immune cells may improve accuracy of predicting survival in colorectal cancer (2020, March 3) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-03-immune-cells-accuracy-survival-colorectal.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Genetically manipulating protein level in colon cancer cells can improve chemotherapy

 shares

Feedback to editors