TUMOR-INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES AS EASILY ACCESSIBLE PROGNOSTIC TOOL in ADENOCARCINOMA of the COLON

Abstract

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