Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25884667›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2015

Tertiary lymphoid structures are associated with higher tumor grade in primary operable breast cancer patients.

Stine L Figenschau, Silje Fismen, Kristin A Fenton, Christopher Fenton, Elin S Mortensen

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 91 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
91citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

91 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 124 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. The immunology of human breast cancer.Nature reviews. Immunology · 2026
    Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. An Introduction to Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Cancer.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2025
    Review
  20. Article

31 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Stine L FigenschauRNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromso, N-9037, Tromso, Norway. stine.l.figenschau@uit.no.
Silje FismenDepartment of Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, N-9038, Tromso, Norway. silje.fismen@unn.no.
Kristin A FentonRNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromso, N-9037, Tromso, Norway. kristin.fenton@uit.no.
Christopher FentonThe Microarray Platform, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromso, N-9037, Tromso, Norway. christopher.fenton@uit.no.
Elin S MortensenRNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromso, N-9037, Tromso, Norway. elin.s.mortensen@uit.no.
UiT The Arctic University of Norway · NOUniversity Hospital of North Norway · NO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are highly organized immune cell aggregates that develop at sites of inflammation or infection in non-lymphoid organs. Despite the described role of inflammation in tumor progression, it is still unclear whether the process of lymphoid neogenesis and biological function of ectopic lymphoid tissue in tumors are beneficial or detrimental to tumor growth. In this study we analysed if TLS are found in human breast carcinomas and its association with clinicopathological parameters.

methodsIn a patient group (n = 290) who underwent primary surgery between 2011 and 2012 we assessed the interrelationship between the presence of TLS in breast tumors and clinicopathological factors. Prognostic factors were entered into a binary logistic regression model for identifying independent predictors for intratumoral TLS formation.

resultsThere was a positive association between the grade of immune cell infiltration within the tumor and important prognostic parameters such as hormone receptor status, tumor grade and lymph node involvement. The majority of patients with high grade infiltration of immune cells had TLS positive tumors. In addition to the degree of immune cell infiltration, the presence of TLS was associated with organized immune cell aggregates, hormone receptor status and tumor grade. Tumors with histological grade 3 were the strongest predictor for the presence of TLS in a multivariate regression model. The model also predicted that the odds for having intratumoral TLS formation were ten times higher for patients with high grade of inflammation than low grade.

conclusionsHuman breast carcinomas frequently contain TLS and the presence of these structures is associated with aggressive forms of tumors. Locally generated immune response with potentially antitumor immunity may control tumorigenesis and metastasis. Thus, defining the role of TLS formation in breast carcinomas may lead to alternative therapeutic approaches targeting the immune system.

Indexed as

AdultAgedBiomarkers, TumorBiopsyBreast NeoplasmsFemaleHumansImmunohistochemistryLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingMiddle AgedNeoplasm GradingNeoplasm MetastasisNeoplasm StagingTumor BurdenYoung AdultBiomarkers, Tumor

Identifiers

PMID25884667
PMCPMC4357183
OpenAlexW2105182546

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.