TY  - JOUR
AU  - Zheng, Biqiang
AU  - Wang, Jian
AU  - Cai, Weiluo
AU  - Lao, Iweng
AU  - Shi, Yingqiang
AU  - Luo, Xiaoying
AU  - Yan, Wangjun
PY  - 2019
TI  - Changes in the tumor immune microenvironment in resected recurrent soft tissue sarcomas
JF  - Annals of Translational Medicine; Vol 7, No 16 (August 28, 2019): Annals of Translational Medicine
Y2  - 2019
KW  - 
N2  - Background: Little is known about how the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is modulated in recurrent soft tissue sarcomas (STS).  Methods: We evaluated CD8+ T cells, CD20+ B cells, Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in 72 paired pre-recurrent (1st resected) versus post-recurrent (2nd resected) STS by immunohistochemistry. Correlations with time to recurrence and prognosis were determined.  Results: We found that CD8, PD-L1, CD20, and Foxp3-positive cell counts changed in post-recurrent STS. PD-L1-positive tumor cell and lymphocyte counts increased in post-recurrent STS, whereas CD8+ T cell counts decreased. Changes in CD8+ T cell, CD20+ B cell, and PD-L1+ lymphocyte counts were associated with the time interval between surgeries. At admission, fewer CD8+ T cells were detected in patients with relapse than in newly diagnosed patients. Furthermore, post-recurrent STS with fewer CD8+ T cells compared with pre-recurrent STS were more likely to exhibit re-recurrence. The change in CD8+ T cells was positively associated with overall survival. In multivariate analyses, a decrease in CD8+ T cell counts in post-recurrent STS was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor.  Conclusions: The TIME differs between pre-recurrent STS and post-recurrent STS. The variation in CD8+ T cells and PD-L1 positivity may have essential roles during tumor relapse and provides a basis for determining therapeutic strategies.
UR  - https://atm.amegroups.org/article/view/28500