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Vigdorovits, Alon; Olteanu, Gheorghe-Emilian; Pascalau, Andrei-Vasile; Pirlog, Radu; Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana; Pop, Ovidiu-Laurean

Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

Background/Objectives: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with an emerging molecular classification based on the expression of the transcription factors ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3. This study aimed to explore the relationship between these novel subtypes and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), particularly CD8+ and CD4+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Methods: In 51 cases of patients with SCLC, immunohistochemical (IHC) stains for ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3, CD56, Ki67, CD8, and CD4 were performed. H-scores for the novel transcription factors were calculated to determine tumor subtype. CD8+ and CD4+ TIL counts were averaged across 10 high-power fields. The Kruskal–Wallis test and subsequent post hoc Dunn tests were used to determine the differences in transcription factor expression and TILs across subtypes. Results: In our cohort, 68.62% of our cases were SCLC-A, 9.80% were SCLC-N, 7.84% were SCLC-P, and 13.72% were SCLC-I. Significant differences were observed in the expression of ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3 across subtypes. CD8+ TILs were more abundant in SCLC-P and SCLC-I. CD8+ TILs were negatively correlated with ASCL1 expression (p < 0.05) and positively correlated with POU2F3 expression (p < 0.005). Conclusions: This study highlights the need to integrate the novel SCLC classification with data regarding the TIME to better inform patient prognosis and treatment.

Article

eng

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0447556

Medicine, Faculty of; Non UBC; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of

10.3390/diagnostics14232660

Faculty; Researcher

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