High number of intraepithelial CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes is associated with the absence of lymph node metastases in patients with large early-stage cervical cancer.

Piersma SJ, Jordanova ES, van Poelgeest MI, Kwappenberg KM, van der Hulst JM, Drijfhout JW, Melief CJ, Kenter GG, Fleuren GJ, Offringa R, van der Burg SH.
Cancer Res. 2007 Jan 1; 67(1):354-61.

In a prospective study, we have examined the tumor-specific immune response in a group of 59 patients with human papillomavirus (HPV) 16-positive (HPV16(+))-induced or HPV18(+)-induced cervical cancer. Local antitumor immunity was analyzed by the enumeration of tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells and CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory T cells as well as by calculation of the ratio of CD8+/CD4+ T cells and CD8+/regulatory T cells. Systemic tumor-specific immunity was assessed by determination of the HPV E6- and/or E7-specific T-cell response in the blood of these patients. Finally, these variables were evaluated with respect to known histopathologic prognostic variables, including the absence (LN-) or presence (LN+) of lymph node metastases. Stratification according to the lymph node status of patients revealed a significantly stronger CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration, a higher CD8+/CD4+ T-cell ratio, and higher CD8+/regulatory T-cell ratio in the group of patients in which the tumor failed to metastasize to the tumor-draining lymph node. Subdivision according to the presence (IR+) or absence (IR-) of circulating HPV-specific T cells disclosed that the highest number of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells was found in the group of LN- patients displaying a concomitant systemic tumor-specific immune response (LN-IR+). CD8+ T-cell infiltration in LN-IR- patients was comparable with that of LN+ patients. In cervical cancer, the absence of lymph node metastases is strongly associated with a better prognosis. Our data indicate that, especially in a subgroup of LN- patients, a strong and effective interaction between immune system and tumor exists. This subgroup of cervical cancer patients may have the best prognosis.

URL: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/67/1/354

Pub Med: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17210718

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