Clinical Study

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.

GroupsCD4+ T cellsCD8+ T cellsFOXP3+ 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)
 <501416.9 (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)
 ≥50198.8 (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)
 ≤30 207.6 (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)
 >301312.4 (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
 Pre1639.4 (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)
 Post176.4 (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 mm187.6 (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 mm1512.4 (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
 Negative1013.1 (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)
 Positive238.8 (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)247.6 (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)134.8 (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)1822.7 (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
 Negative1116.8 (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)
 Positive225.8 (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
 Negative2312.4 (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)
 Positive107.6 (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)1612.8 (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-T178.8 (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.