Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2014 Jul;57(4):266-273. 10.5468/ogs.2014.57.4.266.

Tumor-infiltration of T-lymphocytes is inversely correlated with clinicopathologic factors in endometrial adenocarcinoma

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, and Biomedical Research Institute and Pusan Cancer Center, Busan, Korea. ghkim@pusan.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Medicine, Pusan National University Graduate School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pathology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of T-lymphocytes and their relationship with clinicopathologic factors in endometrial carcinoma.
METHODS
Samples were collected from 89 patients with endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma treated in Pusan National University Hospital from 2004 to 2011. Normal endometrial tissues were obtained from 30 hysterectomized women with benign adnexal masses and served as controls. Paraffin-embedded sections were immunohistochemically stained for CD8 (cytotoxic) and CD4 (helper) T-lymphocytes. The relationship of these cells with stage, histological grade, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis was analyzed.
RESULTS
The proportion of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes in the endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma tissues was 67.4% (60/89) and 44.9% (40/89), respectively, which was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in the control group. The extent of CD8+ lymphocyte expression was negatively correlated with histologic grade, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis. The proportion of infiltration of the CD4+ lymphocytes was negatively correlated with histologic grade and myometrial invasion.
CONCLUSION
The high rate of infiltration of T-lymphocytes was negatively correlated with histologic grade, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis. Our findings suggest that tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes may be used as pathologic prognostic factors in endometrial carcinoma.

Keyword

Clinicopathologic factors; Endometrial carcinoma; T-lymphocytes

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma*
Busan
Carcinoma, Endometrioid
Endometrial Neoplasms
Female
Humans
Lymph Nodes
Lymphocytes
Neoplasm Metastasis
T-Lymphocytes*

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Expression and histological distribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes in primary endometrial carcinoma specimens. Representative patient tissues were highly stained for CD4 (A) and CD8 (B). (C) and (D) were patient tissues with low CD4 or CD8 cell count. Human tonsil for CD4 (E) and skin for CD8 (F) were used as positive controls.

  • Fig. 2 Kaplan-Meier plot of survival rate. Significant progression free survival (A,C) and overall survival (B,D) rate for patients with CD4 and CD8 positive endometrial carcinomas are not demonstrated.


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