Prognostic relevance of increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in residual TNBC following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Nathalia Cruz da Costa, Alexandra Cauduro Ponso Fernandes, Andrea Pires Souto Damin

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

3 authors.

Nathalia Cruz da CostaPostgraduate Program in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, no. 2400, 2º andar, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90035003, Brazil. nathaliacostha@gmail.com.

Alexandra Cauduro Ponso FernandesDivision of Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos no. 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 9005903, Brazil.

Andrea Pires Souto DaminDivision of Breast Surgery, Head of Mastology Service, Faculty of Medicine of the Federal, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos no. 2350, room 600 C, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 9005903, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study evaluated the predictive value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in residual triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). PATIENTS AND

methodsPatients with TNBC treated between 2008 and 2019 who presented with residual disease after NAC were included. Tumor samples were assessed before and after treatment, with TILs quantified as the percentage of mononuclear inflammatory cells in the tumor stroma. TILs levels were analyzed as both continuous and categorical variables (high ≥ 30%, low < 30%). Among the 60 patients evaluated, the mean age was 52.6 ± 1.2 years (range: 28–78 years), with most receiving standard NAC, consisting of anthracycline and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel.

resultsA significant increase in TILs levels post-NAC was observed, with 55% of tumors classified as high TILs, compared to 90% classified as low TILs before treatment (McNemar’s test, p ≤ 0.0001). However, post-NAC TILs increase was not statistically associated with disease-free survival or overall survival.

conclusionThese findings suggest an immunologic modulation of the tumor microenvironment in residual TNBC, highlighting the potential role of identifying immune-enriched residual tumors as candidates for adjuvant strategies, including immunotherapy.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingNeoadjuvant TherapyTriple Negative Breast NeoplasmsAdultAgedChemotherapy, AdjuvantCyclophosphamideDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNeoplasm, ResidualPrognosisTumor MicroenvironmentCyclophosphamideImmunotherapy biomarkers.Neoadjuvant chemotherapyResidual diseaseTriple-negative breast cancerTumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

Identifiers

PMID41350661

DOI10.1186/s12885-025-15207-4

PMCPMC12681096

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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.