Dissecting the role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in patients with high-risk soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with regional hyperthermia (RHT)

Abstract

Background: In recent years, the immune system has been shown to play an important role in the development and progression of cancer. In various malignancies, the prognostic relevance of TILs has been shown. STS are a heterogeneous group of rare mesenchymal malignancies. Known prognostic factors for STS include size, localization and grading. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of TILs and different T-cell subsets for survival. Methods: Tissue microarrays (TMA) of tumor samples of STS patients, treated in the EORTC 62961 Phase III trial (Lancet Oncol. 2010), were assessed for TILs, counted in standard HE stainings. Additionally, immuno-stainings for CD3 (pan-T-cell marker),