Patterns of human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in 120 human cancers

C. M. Balch, L. B. Riley, Y. J. Bae, M. A. Salmeron, C. D. Platsoucas, A. von Eschenbach and K. Itoh
Department of General Surgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from 120 samples of human cancers, including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, sarcoma, and colon cancer, were examined. The percentage of lymphocytes recovered from the cancer varied widely; that of renal cell carcinoma was higher than that of breast or colon cancer (65% vs 45%), which was higher than that of melanomas or sarcomas (30% to 35%). The types of lymphocytes before and after interleukin 2 activation showed specific patterns. CD4+ helper T cells predominated in all tumors except melanomas, which had more CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. CD16+ natural killer cells were recovered in renal cell carcinoma and sarcomas. Three different cytotoxic lymphocytes were identified among interleukin 2-activated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes: (1) CD3+ CD16- cytotoxic T lymphocytes with cytotoxicity restricted to autologous tumor cells in melanomas, (2) CD3-CD16+ natural killer cells with vigorous major histocompatibility complex-nonrestricted cytotoxicity in renal cell carcinoma, and (3) CD3+ CD16- T cells with modest levels of major histocompatibility complex-nonstricted cytotoxicity in all cancers except melanomas. Thus, there was considerable diversity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes among these histologically distinct tumors with respect to magnitude of lymphocyte infiltration, phenotypic expression, and functional capacity.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Regulatory T cells and toll-like receptors: regulating the regulators
Sutmuller et al.
Ann Rheum Dis 2007;66:iii91-iii95.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

IL-2 Immunotoxin Therapy Modulates Tumor-Associated Regulatory T Cells and Leads to Lasting Immune-Mediated Rejection of Breast Cancers in neu-Transgenic Mice
Knutson et al.
J. Immunol. 2006;177:84-91.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Immunohistological characterisation of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in melanocytic skin lesions.
Hussein et al.
J. Clin. Pathol. 2006;59:316-324.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Tumor-Associated Antigen Recognized by the 22-1-1 Monoclonal Antibody Encourages Colorectal Cancer Progression under the Scanty CD8+ T Cells
Oshikiri et al.
Clin. Cancer Res. 2006;12:411-416.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Antigen-driven Clonal Proliferation, Somatic Hypermutation, and Selection of B Lymphocytes Infiltrating Human Ductal Breast Carcinomas
Nzula et al.
Cancer Res. 2003;63:3275-3280.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells Cooperate to Improve Prognosis of Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Cho et al.
Cancer Res. 2003;63:1555-1559.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Translocation of an Intracellular Antigen to the Surface of Medullary Breast Cancer Cells Early in Apoptosis Allows for an Antigen-Driven Antibody Response Elicited by Tumor-Infiltrating B Cells
Hansen et al.
J. Immunol. 2002;169:2701-2711.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prognostic Significance of Activated CD8+ T Cell Infiltrations within Esophageal Carcinomas
Schumacher et al.
Cancer Res. 2001;61:3932-3936.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

HLA-DR and {beta}2 microglobulin expression in medullary and atypical medullary carcinoma of the breast: histopathologically similar but biologically distinct entities
Feinmesser et al.
J. Clin. Pathol. 2000;53:286-291.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Can immunotherapy by gene transfer tip the balance against colorectal cancer?
TODRYK et al.
Gut 1998;43:445-449.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT