Tumor-Infiltrating CD8-Positive T-Cells Associated with MMR and p53 Protein Expression Can Stratify Endometrial...

Inspired by the molecular classification of endometrial carcinoma (EC) proposed by The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network (TCGA), we investigated tumor-infiltrating CD8-positive T-cell as well as DNA mismatch repair (MMR) protein and p53 protein expression, and we developed a new classification system for ECs to predict patients' prognosis using immunohistochemical methods.

The study included 128 patients with ECs who underwent surgery. Paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the tumor were stained using antibodies against MMR protein, p53, and CD8. Cases were stratified into four classes by a sequential algorithm. An immunohistochemical classification system for ECs (ICEC) was created, including HCD8, MMR-D, LCD8, and p53 LCD8.

In ICEC, 16 cases (12.5%), 27 cases (21.09%), 67 cases (52.34%), and 18 cases (14.06%) belonged to HCD8, MMR-D, LCD8, and p53 LCD8, respectively. ICEC did not show any correlation with clinical stage, lymphovascular space invasion, or lymph node metastasis. However, the p53 LCD8 class contained a significantly higher proportion of G3 ECs and serous carcinoma (p < 0.0001). ICEC showed prognostic significance in overall survival (OS) (p < 0.0001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (p < 0.0001). The class of p53 LCD8 showed the worst prognosis among the classes.

ICEC classification is useful in predicting the prognosis of ECs.