CD8 与 TCF1 双阳性 T 细胞亚群在微卫星不稳定型胃癌中的预后意义

Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) gastric cancer (GC) exhibits high tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density. Despite the recognized significance of the immune microenvironment in MSI-H GC, our understanding of TIL remains limited.

This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic and prognostic implications of T cell subsets in MSI-H GC. Single immunohistochemistry (IHC) for CD8, TCF1, and CD103, and double IHC for CD8/TCF1 and CD8/CD103 were performed in 382 surgically resected MSI-H GC samples. Densities of single or double positive immune cells were quantified and correlated with clinicopathologic features and overall survival (OS).

TCF1 + cell densities showed weak correlations with CD8 + and CD103 + cell densities, while CD8+/TCF1 + cell density moderately correlated with CD8+/CD103 + cell density (R 2 = 0. 539, p < 0. 001). Single IHC analyses showed no significant associations between CD8+, TCF1+, or CD103 + cell densities and OS (p > 0. 05).

Notably, elevated CD8+/TCF1 + cell density and a high CD8+/TCF1 + to CD8 + ratio correlated with less aggressive clinicopathologic features and improved OS (p = 0. 017 and 0. 001, respectively). Multivariable Cox-regression identified CD8+/TCF1 + to CD8 + ratio as an independent prognostic factor (p = 0. 028).

We demonstrated the prognostic significance of CD8+/TCF1 + to CD8 + ratio using double IHC in a large cohort of MSI-H GC.