Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35177074›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of surgical oncology2022

Differences in tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte density and prognostic factors for breast cancer by patient age.

Koji Takada, Shinichiro Kashiwagi, Yuka Asano, Wataru Goto, Tamami Morisaki, Masatsune Shibutani, Hiroaki Tanaka, Kosei Hirakawa, Masaichi Ohira

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in World journal of surgical oncology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 18% 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

14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. The density of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in oesophago-gastric cancer varies with disease stage, geographical region and treatment: a post hoc analysis of nine phase III clinical trials.Gastric cancer : official journal of the International Gastric Cancer Association and the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
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  7. Ageing, immune fitness and cancer.Nature reviews. Cancer · 2025
    Review
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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

9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Koji TakadaDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Shinichiro KashiwagiDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan. spqv9ke9@view.ocn.ne.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0460-9599
Yuka AsanoDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Wataru GotoDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Tamami MorisakiDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Masatsune ShibutaniDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Hiroaki TanakaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Kosei HirakawaDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Masaichi OhiraDepartment of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
Osaka City University · JP

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 17K10559Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 19K18067Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 20K08938
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLymphocytes that surround cancer participate in tumor-related immune responses and are called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Several recent reports suggest TILs index the tumor microenvironment and predict the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy. However, only few studies have studied the relationship between age and TILs. Aging reduces host immunity, and we predict that it may also affect TILs. Thus, we hypothesized that older breast cancer (BC) patients may have low TIL density than younger BC patients. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the differences in TILs by age and the therapeutic effects of preoperative chemotherapy (POC) in BC patients who were aged either less than 45 years or more than 60 years.

methodsWe retrospectively examined the data of 356 breast cancer patients who underwent POC, including 75 patients aged ≤ 45 years and 116 patients aged > 60 years. Using pre-treatment needle biopsy specimens, TIL density was compared for each age group by Student's t-test. After analyzing different factors that affect TIL density, prognostic factors were also examined.

resultsOlder patients with triple-negative BC had significantly lower TIL density than younger patients, while in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-enriched BC, TIL density was significantly higher in the younger age group than that in the older age group. In addition, younger patients with HER2-rich breast cancer showed significantly higher complete pathological response rates than older patients with HER2-rich BC. In addition, significant differences in overall survival were observed among these patients with triple-negative BC.

conclusionsOur study suggests that younger BC patients possess significantly higher TIL density than older patients. These differences may influence the therapeutic efficacy in highly immunogenic subtypes.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsTriple Negative Breast NeoplasmsAgedFemaleHumansLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingMiddle AgedPrognosisRetrospective StudiesTumor MicroenvironmentAgeBreast cancerPreoperative chemotherapyTumor-immune microenvironmentTumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

Identifiers

PMID35177074
PMCPMC8851811
OpenAlexW4213249743

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.