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Updated: Oct 18, 2025
Author Spotlight: Investigating Immune Cell Dynamics in the Tumor Microenvironment — Challenges and Innovations in Cancer Prognosis
Published on: April 12, 2024
Prognostic value of CD169-positive macrophages in various tumors: a meta-analysis
Weihao Kong1, Meng Wei2, Rongqiang Liu3
1Department of Emergency Surgery, Department of Emergency Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Abstract:
The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of CD169 expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages from regional lymph nodes (RLN) in various tumors. In order to identify eligible articles, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were used to conduct a systematic search. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adopted to assess the relationship between CD169 expression and overall survival (OS) and clinicopathological characteristics. Ten studies, including eleven cohorts with 1699 patients, were enrolled. We found that high CD169+ expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages from RLN was associated with a favorable OS (HR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.39-0.79, P = 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that high CD169+ expression had more predictive power in digestive system tumors (HR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.42-0.67, <0.001). In addition, high CD169 expression was significantly linked with lymph node metastasis (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.47-0.94, P = 0.020) and TNM stage (OR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.48-0.80, P < 0.001). High CD169 expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages from RLN was correlated with favorable survival outcome in patients with malignancies. CD169 may be a novel and effective prognostic marker, especially for digestive system tumors.
Insights
High CD169 expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages within regional lymph nodes indicates a better overall survival for cancer patients. This marker is particularly promising for digestive system tumors.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Tumor-infiltrating macrophages play a crucial role in cancer progression and patient prognosis.
- CD169, a marker expressed on certain macrophages, has been investigated for its potential prognostic value in various cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the prognostic significance of CD169 expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages from regional lymph nodes (RLN) across diverse malignancies.
- To assess the association between CD169 expression and overall survival (OS) and clinicopathological features.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library.
- Meta-analysis of pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was performed.
- Eleven cohorts comprising 1699 patients from ten studies were included in the analysis.
Main Results:
- High CD169 expression in RLN macrophages was significantly associated with favorable OS (HR = 0.56, P = 0.001).
- Subgroup analysis revealed stronger predictive power in digestive system tumors (HR = 0.52, P < 0.001).
- Elevated CD169 expression correlated with reduced lymph node metastasis (OR = 0.66, P = 0.020) and less advanced TNM stage (OR = 0.62, P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- High CD169 expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages from RLN is a favorable prognostic indicator in cancer patients.
- CD169 demonstrates potential as a novel and effective prognostic biomarker, especially for digestive system malignancies.
