Crucial Contributions by T Lymphocytes (Effector, Regulatory, and Checkpoint Inhibitor) and Cytokines (TH1, TH2, and TH17) to a Pathological Complete Response Induced by Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Women with Breast Cancer
Table 9
Clinical and pathological parameters of patients () studied and the presence of pre-NAC(1) tumour-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ and FOXP3+ T cells.
Groups
CD4+ T cells
CD8+ T cells
FOXP3+ T cells
Intratumoural Median (range)(2) value(3)]
Stromal Median (range) value]
Intratumoural Median (range) value]
Stromal Median (range) value]
Intratumoural Median (range) value]
Stromal Median (range) value]
Age (years)
<50
14
16.9 (1.4–166.2)
20.0 (1.0–162.2)
24.1 (0.8–97.4)
17.7 (1.8–110.0)
5.6 (0.4–26.2)
12.6 (0.8–26.8)
≥50
19
8.8 (0.6–171.0)
16.8 (1.0–242.0)
14.4 (0.4–202.4)
26.2 (2.0–201.6)
4.8 (0.8–96.8)
11.2 (0.8–110.6)
[0.653]
[0.957]
[1.000]
[0.397]
[0.957]
[0.900]
BMI(4) (kg/m2)
≤30
20
7.6 (0.6–166.2)
16.4 (1.0–190.4)
20.3 (0.4–202.4)
22.8 (2.0–127.2)
6.3 (0.8–96.8)
14.3 (0.8–110.6)
>30
13
12.4 (1.4–171.0)
19.2 (1.0–242.0)
14.4 (0.8–197.2)
22.4 (1.8–201.6)
4.8 (0.4–60.4)
6.6 (0.8–27.8)
[0.524]
[0.842]
[0.899]
[0.730]
[0.703]
[0.118]
Menopausal
Pre
16
39.4 (1.4–171.0)
33.0 (1.0–242.0)
31.7 (0.8–197.2)
41.8 (1.8–201.6)
9.1 (0.4–60.4)
14.7 (0.8–27.8)
Post
17
6.4 (0.6–158.4)
15.8 (1.0–190.4)
12.8 (0.4–202.4)
22.4 (2.0–127.2)
4.6 (0.8–96.8)
6.6 (0.8–110.6)
[0.191]
[0.204]
[0.157]
[0.958]
[0.326]
[0.423]
Tumour size
<40 mm
18
7.6 (1.4–171.0)
17.3 (1.0–242.0)
20.8 (0.8–202.4)
22.8 (1.8–201.6)
4.4 (0.8–77.0)
9.3 (0.8–110.6)
≥40 mm
15
12.4 (0.6–129.0)
16.8 (1.0–162.2)
19.4 (0.4–99.2)
22.4 (3.4–114.0)
11.2 (0.4–96.8)
14.2 (0.8–44.8)
[0.708]
[0.929]
[0.817]
[0.901]
[0.190]
[0.486]
Nodal status
Negative
10
13.1 (3.6–171.0)
54.1 (9.0–242.0)
13.9 (3.4–202.4)
43.6 (1.8–201.6)
8.8 (2.4–77.0)
12.7 (3.0–110.6)
Positive
23
8.8 (0.6–166.2)
16.8 (1.0–162.2)
21.2 (0.4–112.6)
18.4 (2.0–118.8)
5.6 (0.4–96.8)
10.0 (0.8–32.0)
[0.475]
[0.144]
[0.576]
[0.603]
[0.144]
[0.221]
Tumour grade
1 (low)
2
47.6 (17.0–78.2)
106.5 (104–109)
64.0 (28.8–99.2)
88.0 (87.2–88.8)
32.5 (19.4–45.6)
35.8 (26.8–44.8)
2 (moderate)
13
4.8 (1.4–166.2)
10.4 (1.0–113.0)
10.4 (0.8–78.4)
11.2 (2.6–110.0)
4.2 (0.4–26.2)
5.2 (0.8–21.8)
3 (high)
18
22.7 (0.6–171.0)
37.5 (2.6–242.0)
31.9 (0.4–202.4)
70.5 (1.8–199.8)
6.3 (0.8–96.8)
14.0 (0.8–110.6)
[]
[]
[]
[]
[0.109]
[]
ER(6) status
Negative
11
16.8 (5.8–158.4)
43.0 (5.2–190.4)
29.6 (1.0–202.4)
65.2 (2.0–127.2)
5.6 (0.8–96.8)
11.2 (0.8–110.6)
Positive
22
5.8 (0.6–171.0)
14.5 (1.0–242.0)
13.7 (0.4–197.2)
18.9 (1.8–201.6)
5.5 (0.4–60.4)
11.2 (0.8–44.8)
[0.105]
[0.089]
[0.281]
[0.440]
[0.721]
[0.866]
HER-2 status
Negative
23
12.4 (0.6–171.0)
16.0 (1.0–242.0)
19.4 (0.4–202.4)
26.2 (2.6–201.6)
7.4 (0.4–96.8)
11.6 (0.8–110.6)
Positive
10
7.6 (3.6–66.8)
20.0 (5.2–119.2)
14.3 (1.0–97.4)
15.0 (1.8–86.4)
3.6 (0.8–11.6)
9.3 (0.8–17.4)
[0.658]
[0.658]
[0.428]
[0.133]
[0.114]
[0.221]
NAC regimen
AC-TX(7)
16
12.8 (1.4–171.0)
20.3 (1.0–242.0)
25.4 (0.8–197.2)
47.8 (2.6–201.6)
7.2 (0.4–60.4)
12.7 (0.8–44.8)
AC-T
17
8.8 (0.6–166.2)
15.8 (2.6–190.4)
13.4 (0.4–202.4)
19.4 (1.8–127.2)
4.8 (0.8–96.8)
10.8 (0.8–110.6)
[0.873]
[0.901]
[0.326]
[0.657]
[0.929]
[0.817]
NAC: neoadjuvant chemotherapy; (2)average cell count per 400x high-power field; (3)Mann–Whitney test; (4)BMI: body mass index (≤30: nonobese, >30: obese); (5)Kruskal-Wallis test; (6)ER: oestrogen receptor; (7)AC-TX: doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, taxotere, and Xeloda® (capecitabine), respectively; statistically significant.