[TILGen study-immunological targets in patients with breast cancer : Influence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Establishment of a Co-culture System of Patient-Derived Colorectal Tumor Organoids and Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs)
Published on: June 27, 2025
R Erber1, A Hartmann2, M W Beckmann3
1Pathologisches Institut, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Krankenhausstraße 8-10, 91054, Erlangen, Deutschland. Ramona.Erber@uk-erlangen.de.
Background:
The interaction of our immune system with breast cancer (BC) cells prompted the investigation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and targeted, tumor antigen-specific immunotherapy.
Objectives:
Correlation between TILs and pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NACT). Tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) in HER2+ and triple negative BC and establishment of TSA-specific therapies within the interdisciplinary TILGen study.
Methods:
Illustration of the TILGen study design. Assessment of TILs and correlation with pCR within this BC study.
Results:
pCR was achieved in 38.4% (56/146) and associated with estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor negative (ER-/PR-) and HER2+ tumors. Lymphocytic predominant BC (LPBC) was found in 16.4% (24/146), particularly in ER-/PR- (ER-: 27.3% vs. ER+: 9.9%, PR-: 22.3% vs. PR+: 8.2%), large, and poorly differentiated BC. TILs were significantly correlated with pCR in multivariate analysis. In LPBC, pCR was achieved in 66.7%, whereas it was 32.8% in non-LPBC.
Conclusions:
First results confirm the influence of the human immune system on the response to NACT in HER2+ and triple negative BC. TSA-specific immunotherapy might improve the outcome in BC patients but there is an urgent need for comprehensive studies to further investigate this issue.
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