Effect of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (mast cells, neutrophils and lymphocytes) on neoadjuvant chemotherapy response in breast carcinomas

• Published in: Annals of diagnostic pathology Vol. 70; p. 152301
• Main Authors: Okcu, Oğuzhan, Öztürk, Çiğdem, Yalçın, Nazlıcan, Yalçın, Anıl Can, Şen, Bayram, Aydın, Esra, Öztürk, Ahmet Emin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-06-2024
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Miller Payne score; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes; Tumor infiltrating mast cells; Tumor infiltrating neutrophils; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Tumor infiltrating neutrophils; Breast cancer; Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes; Miller Payne score; Tumor infiltrating mast cells
• ISSN: 1092-9134; 1532-8198
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2024.152301

Despite screening, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing worldwide. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) response is one of the most important parameters taken into consideration in surgery, optimal adjuvant chemotherapy planning and prognosis prediction. Research on predictive markers for the response to NAC is still ongoing. In our study, we investigated the relationship between tumor-infiltrating neutrophils/mast cells/lymphocytes and NAC response in breast carcinomas.
Study included 117 patients who were diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma using core needle biopsy. In these biopsies tumor-infiltrating neutrophils/mast cells/lymphocytes were evaluated and Miller Payne Score was used for NAC response.
53 patients exhibited high TILs, 36 had high TINs, and 46 showed high TIMs. While pathological complete response was 27 % in all patients, it was 38 % in high TINs patients, 35 % in high TILs patients, and 28 % in high TIMs patients. High TIMs were observed to be statistically associated with survival.
TILs, TINs, nuclear grade, ER, PR and HER2 expression, Ki-67 proliferation index were found to be associated with the Miller - Payne score. In multivariate analysis, TINs, nuclear grade, pathological stage, and molecular subtype were found to be independent risk factors for treatment response.
TINs have better prognostic value to predict neoadjuvant treatment than TILs. High TIMs are associated with increased overall survival. The inclusion of TINs in NAC response and TIMs in overall survival in pathology reports and treatment planning is promising in breast carcinomas as they are simple to use and reproducible markers.
•NAC response is one of the most important parameters in planning treatment regimens in breast carcinoma patients.•TINs and TILs were associated to Miller-Payne Score. High TIM was found to be associated with increased overall survival.•TINs, nuclear grade, pathologic stage and molecular subtype were detected as independent risk factors in Miller-Payne Score.