Correlation study of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes on the prognosis of Hangzhou standard liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
10.3760/cma.j.cn115396-20240401-00097
- VernacularTitle:肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞对杭州标准肝细胞癌肝移植预后的相关性研究
- Author:
Xiaodi DAI
1
;
Shaocheng LYU
;
Bing PAN
;
Xin ZHAO
;
Lixin LI
;
Qiang HE
Author Information
1. 首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院肝胆外科，北京 100020
- Keywords:
Lymphocytes, tumor-infiltrating;
Carcinoma, hepatocellular;
Prognosis;
Hangzhou criteria
- From:
International Journal of Surgery
2024;51(8):522-528
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the impact of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) density in the tumor stroma on the long-term prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) liver transplant patients meeting the Hangzhou criteria.Methods:This study is a retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 83 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who met the Hangzhou criteria and underwent allogeneic liver transplantation from January 2018 to December 2023 in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University were collected and analyzed. Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining was used to study the density of TILs in the resected liver grafts. Patients were divided into TILs-negative group (TILs<10%, n=31) and TILs-positive group (TILs≥10%, n=52) based on whether the TILs density exceeded 10%. Clinical and pathological characteristics were analyzed, and the significance of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), TILs density, and microvascular invasion on the prognosis of HCC patients who met the Hangzhou criteria was studied. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s) and compared between groups using t-test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were expressed as M ( Q1, Q3) and compared using rank-sum tests. Categorical data were compared using chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier method was used to study the relationship between various observation indicators and overall survival, and survival curves were plotted. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates between groups, and multivariate Cox regression model was used to adjust for the distribution of risk factors between groups. Results:The preoperative AFP level in the TILs-negative group was (15.69±1.21) U/mL, and in the TILs-positive group was (12.17±0.13) U/mL, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups ( P<0.05). In the TILs-negative group, 8 cases had microvascular invasion, and the number of low, moderate, and high differentiation tumors was 8, 23, and 0, respectively. In the TILs-positive group, 3 cases had microvascular invasion, and the number of low, moderate, and high differentiation tumors was 2, 31, and 19, respectively. The results indicated that patients in the TILs-negative group were more likely to have microvascular invasion and poorer tumor differentiation ( P<0.05). All patients were regularly followed up, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates in the TILs-negative group and TILs-positive group were 84.0%, 77.6%, 69.8%, and 94.7%, 91.7%, 86.6%, respectively ( P<0.01). Cox proportional hazards model indicated that microvascular invasion ( RR=4.474, 95% CI: 1.172-17.072, P=0.028) and TILs-negative status ( RR=5.081, 95% CI: 1.420-18.184, P=0.012) were independent risk factors for the long-term prognosis of HCC patients who met the Hangzhou criteria. Conclusions:Among HCC patients meeting the Hangzhou criteria, the density of TILs in the tumor stroma is related to AFP levels, tumor differentiation, and the presence of microvascular invasion. TILs-negative status indicates a poorer prognosis for these patients.
