High FOXP3+ regulatory T-cell density in the sentinel lymph node is associated with downstream non-sentinel lymph-node metastasis in gastric cancer
2011

High FOXP3+ T-cell Density in Sentinel Lymph Nodes and Metastasis in Gastric Cancer

Sample size: 64 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lee H E, Park D J, Kim W H, Kim H H, Lee H S

Primary Institution: Seoul National University Bundang Hospital

Hypothesis

Can the immunologic nature of sentinel lymph nodes in gastric cancer patients predict non-sentinel lymph node metastasis?

Conclusion

High FOXP3+ Treg density in sentinel lymph nodes is an independent predictor of non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer.

Supporting Evidence

  • High FOXP3+ Treg density was significantly associated with non-SLN metastasis.
  • Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models confirmed FOXP3+ Treg density as an independent predictor.
  • Median age of participants was 57.5 years, with a majority being men.

Takeaway

This study found that having a lot of certain immune cells in the lymph nodes can help doctors predict if cancer will spread to other lymph nodes.

Methodology

Sentinel lymph node samples were collected from 64 gastric carcinoma patients and analyzed for immune cell densities using immunostaining.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the selection of patients and the methods used for immunostaining.

Limitations

The study may not be generalizable due to the specific patient population and the relatively small sample size.

Participant Demographics

35 men and 29 women, median age 57.5 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.033

Confidence Interval

1.000–1.003

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/bjc.2011.248

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