PREDICTIVE VALUE AND CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF TUMOR INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES IN NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA: META-ANALYSIS.

*Birhanu Aberha Berele, MMed, Yang Guifang (MD) and Malyn M. L. K. Antoine, MD

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive value and clinicopathological features of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Method: Meta-analysis was performed on eligible studies that was identified by systematic searching in PubMed, PMC and web of Science databases. Studies that reported survival data were included and extracted. All statistical analysis was conducted by STATA 16.0 software. Result: In late stage patients, higher number of TILs was associated with worse disease free survival (DFS) (HR=2.62; CI=1.80-3.80; P=0.003) and overall survival (OS) (HR=2.49; CI=1.73-3.60; P=0.002). For >45 years old patients,while TILs also predicted statistical significant poor prognosis for OS (HR=1.29; CI=0.99-1.68; P=0.05); however, the result didn’t show statistical significant relationship for DFS (HR=1.15; CI=0.92-1.45; P=0.09). Moreover, although higher TILs expression had better prognosis for females than males, but the association wasn’t statistical significant (p=0.07). Conclusion: In late stage patients, high TILs expression was correlated with poor prognosis. This suggest that advanced stage NPC patients might be benefited from immunotherapy than early stage patients.

Keywords: TILS, clinicopathological features, nasopharyngeal carcinoma.