The role of tumor-infiltrating T cells (TILs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their significance in early-stage CRC remain unknown. We investigated the role of TILs in early-stage CRC, particularly in deep submucosal invasive (T1b) CRC. Sixty patients with CRC (20 each with intramucosal [IM group], submucosal invasive [SM group], and advanced cancer [AD group]) were randomly selected. We examined changes in TILs with tumor invasion and the relationship between TILs and LN metastasis risk. Eighty-four patients with T1b CRC who underwent initial surgical resection with LN dissection or additional surgical resection with LN dissection after endoscopic resection were then selected. TIL phenotype and number were evaluated using triple immunofluorescence for CD4, CD8, and Foxp3. All subtypes were more numerous according to the degree of CRC invasion and more abundant at the invasive front of the tumor (IF) than in the center of the tumor (CT) in the SM and AD groups. The increased Foxp3 cells at the IF and high ratios of Foxp3/CD4 and Foxp3/CD8 positively correlated with LN metastasis. In conclusion, tumor invasion positively correlated with the number of TILs in CRC. The number and ratio of Foxp3 cells at the IF may predict LN metastasis in T1b CRC.
肿瘤浸润性T细胞（TILs）在结直肠癌（CRC）中的作用及其在早期CRC中的意义尚不明确。本研究探讨了TILs在早期CRC，特别是深部黏膜下浸润性（T1b）CRC中的作用。我们随机选取了60例CRC患者（黏膜内癌[IM组]、黏膜下浸润癌[SM组]和进展期癌[AD组]各20例），分析了TILs随肿瘤浸润程度的变化及其与淋巴结转移风险的关系。随后，我们选取了84例T1b期CRC患者，这些患者均接受了初次手术切除伴淋巴结清扫，或内镜切除后追加手术切除伴淋巴结清扫。通过CD4、CD8和Foxp3三重免疫荧光染色评估TIL的表型和数量。结果显示，所有TIL亚型的数量均随CRC浸润程度的加深而增加，且在SM组和AD组中，肿瘤浸润前沿（IF）的TILs数量均多于肿瘤中心（CT）。IF处Foxp3细胞数量的增加，以及高Foxp3/CD4和Foxp3/CD8比值，与淋巴结转移呈正相关。综上所述，肿瘤浸润程度与CRC中TILs的数量呈正相关。IF处Foxp3细胞的数量和比值可能预测T1b期CRC的淋巴结转移。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家