Top

Published in:

01-12-2021 | Melanoma | Original Article

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Patients with Melanoma: Which Is Its Prognostic Value?

Authors: Cristian A. Angeramo, Francisco Laxague, Enrique D. Armella, Julieta Rodríguez Catán, Félix A. Vigovich, Norberto A. Mezzadri, Juan M. Fernandez Vila

Published in: Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology | Issue 4/2021

Abstract

Oncological impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in melanoma remains controversial. We aimed to determine the significance of TILs on melanoma-specific survival (MSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and sentinel lymph node status (SLN). A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing melanoma resection during the period 2009–2019 was performed. Using the Melanoma Institute Australia grading system for TILs, the cohort was divided into two groups: group 1 (G1), patients with TILs grades 1, 2, or 3 and Group 2 (G2), patients with TILs grade 0. From a total of 386 melanoma resections, 151 (39%) were included in G1 and 39 (10%) in G2. Among the 151 patients who underwent SLN biopsy, the positivity rate according to the TILs grades 0, 1, 2, and 3 was 32%, 18%, 14%, and 0%, respectively, p = 0.02. With an average follow-up of 48 months, the 5-year MSS (G1: 86% vs G2: 75%, p = 0.002) and the 5-year RFS (G1: 81% vs G2: 60%, p = 0.004) were significantly higher in G1 than G2. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in melanoma are associated with the SLN status and with a better MSS and RFS.

Clark WH Jr, From L, Bernardino EA, Mihm MC (1969) The histogenesis and biologic behavior of primary human malignant melanomas of the skin. Cancer Res 29(3):705–727PubMed

Clark WH Jr, Elder DE, Guerry D 4th et al (1989) Model predicting survival in stage I melanoma based on tumor progression. J Natl Cancer Inst 81(24):1893–1904CrossRef

Azimi F, Scolyer RA, Rumcheva P et al (2012) Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte grade is an independent predictor of sentinel lymph node status and survival in patients with cutaneous melanoma. J Clin Oncol 30(21):2678–2683CrossRef

Balkwill F, Mantovani A (2001) Inflammation and cancer: back to Virchow? Lancet 357(9255):539–545CrossRef

Rollins BJ (2006) Inflammatory chemokines in cancer growth and progression. Eur J Cancer 42(6):760–767CrossRef

Day CL Jr, Sober AJ, Kopf AW et al (1981) A prognostic model for clinical stage I melanoma of the upper extremity. The importance of anatomic subsites in predicting recurrent disease. Ann Surg 193(4):436–440CrossRef

Tuthill RJ, Unger JM, Liu PY et al (2002) Risk assessment in localized primary cutaneous melanoma: a Southwest Oncology Group study evaluating nine factors and a test of the Clark logistic regression prediction model. Am J Clin Pathol 118(4):504–511CrossRef

Barnhill RL, Fine JA, Roush GC, Berwick M (1996) Predicting five-year outcome for patients with cutaneous melanoma in a population-based study. Cancer 78(3):427–432CrossRef

Taylor RC, Patel A, Panageas KS et al (2007) Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predict sentinel lymph node positivity in patients with cutaneous melanoma. J Clin Oncol 25(7):869–875CrossRef

10.

Larsen TE, Grude TH (1978) A retrospective histological study of 669 cases of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma in clinical stage I. 3. The relation between the tumour-associated lymphocyte infiltration and age and sex, tumour cell type, pigmentation, cellular atypia, mitotic count, depth of invasion, ulceration, tumour type and prognosis. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand A 86A(6):523–530PubMed

11.

Fu Q, Chen N, Ge C et al (2019) Prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in melanoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oncoimmunology 8(7):1593806CrossRef

12.

Minutilli E, Giannarelli D, Anzà M et al (2007) Sentinel node biopsy in cutaneous melanoma: correlations between melanoma prognostic factors and sentinel node status. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 26(1):71–76PubMed

13.

Mraz-Gernhard S, Sagebiel RW, Kashani- Sabet M et al (1998) Prediction of sentinel lymph node micrometastasis by histological features in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma. Arch Dermatol 134(8):983–987CrossRef

14.

Wong SL, Brady MS, Busam KJ, Coit DG (2006) Results of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with thin melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol 13(3):302–309CrossRef

15.

Tas F, Erturk K (2017) Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) May be only an independent predictor of nodal involvement but not for recurrence and survival in cutaneous melanoma patients. Cancer Invest 35(8):501–505CrossRef

Title: Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Patients with Melanoma: Which Is Its Prognostic Value?
Authors: Cristian A. Angeramo
Francisco Laxague
Enrique D. Armella
Julieta Rodríguez Catán
Félix A. Vigovich
Norberto A. Mezzadri
Juan M. Fernandez Vila
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: Springer India
Keywords: Melanoma
Melanoma
Published in: Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology / Issue 4/2021
Print ISSN: 0975-7651
Electronic ISSN: 0976-6952
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-021-01427-0

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Patients with Melanoma: Which Is Its Prognostic Value?

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2021

Factors Affecting Life Expectancy After Bone Metastasis in Adults — Results of a 5-year Prospective Study

Predictive Factors for Submandibular Gland Involvement in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma—a Prospective Study from a Tertiary Cancer Center

Is Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy (HITHOC) Safe and Efficacious in Masaoka-Koga Stage-IVA Thymoma? A Pilot Study

A Story of Grit and Determination

ICG Fluorescence Navigation Surgery in Gastric Cancer: Role and Relevance

Spindle Cell Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck Region: a Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Study