Tumour-draining axillary lymph nodes in patients with large and locally advanced breast cancers undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC): the crucial contribution of immune cells (effector, regulatory) and cytokines (Th1, Th2) to immune-mediated tumour cell death induced by NAC

Table 5 Analyses of Lymphocyte Subsets in Metastatic ALNs^(a) in Women with LLABCs^(b) Undergoing NAC^(c): Comparison of Metastatic ALNs with a PCR with those without a PCR

Lymphocyte Subsets (n = 24)	Groups	ALN Median (Range)	P Value^(f)
CD4⁺	Pathological Complete Response (PCR, n = 10)	61.0 (32.0-75.0)^(d)	0.172
CD4⁺	Non Pathological Complete Response (Non PCR, n = 14)	69.0 (36.0-74.0)	0.172
CD8⁺	Pathological Complete Response (PCR, n = 10)	27.0 (13.4-40.0)^(d)	0.048^g
CD8⁺	Non Pathological Complete Response (Non PCR, n = 14)	19.5 (10.4-30.0)	0.048^g
FOXP3⁺	Pathological Complete Response (PCR, n = 10)	3.1 (0.2-6.9)^(d)	0.019^g
FOXP3⁺	Non Pathological Complete Response (Non PCR, n = 14)	6.5 (1.7-10.8)	0.019^g
CTLA-4⁺	Pathological Complete Response (PCR, n = 10)	5.7 (0.6-29.6)^(e)	0.341
CTLA-4⁺	Non Pathological Complete Response (Non PCR, n = 14)	11.2 (3.2-38.6)	0.341
CD56⁺	Pathological Complete Response (PCR, n = 10)	19.7 (2.2-60.4)^(e)	0.472
CD56⁺	Non Pathological Complete Response (Non PCR, n = 14)	15.9 (6.8-39.0)	0.472

^(a)ALNs: Axillary lymph nodes (paracortical areas: tumour deposits excluded); ^(b)LLABCs: Large and locally advanced breast cancers; ^(c)NAC: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; ^(d)Average percentage of positively stained cells out of all the lymphoid cells in the ALN sections (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ and FOXP3⁺ T cells); ^(e)Average cell count of positively stained cells per 400× high-power field in the ALN sections (CTLA-4⁺ T cells and CD56⁺ NK cells); ^(f)Mann-Whitney U test; ^g Statistically significant

ISSN: 1471-2407