Tumor-Infiltrating Basophils Are Associated With Improved Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Basophils are granulocytes primarily known for allergic responses.
• Their role in cancer, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC), is not well understood.
• Tumor-infiltrating basophils (TIBs) represent a specific subset within the tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prognostic significance of TIBs in colorectal cancer.
• To analyze the association between TIBs, blood basophil counts, and clinicopathological features in CRC patients.

Main Methods:

• Quantification of TIBs using double immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis.
• Measurement of peripheral blood basophil counts.
• Statistical analysis of associations with clinicopathological data and survival outcomes in two CRC cohorts (N=1,830).

Main Results:

• Increased TIB density was inversely associated with cancer-specific mortality, particularly in Cohort 2 (HR=0.54).
• Higher TIB density correlated with lower disease stage and reduced lymphovascular invasion.
• Blood basophil counts showed a weak correlation with TIB density but were not prognostic.

Conclusions:

• TIBs are associated with favorable clinicopathological features in colorectal cancer.
• The presence of TIBs may indicate improved patient outcomes.
• Basophils likely contribute to the tumor microenvironment in CRC.