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Prognostic impact of B-cell density in cutaneous melanoma

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Abstract

Studies on the prognostic importance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes have mainly focused on T cells, while little is known about the role of tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes. We investigated the prevalence of CD20+ B cells by immunohistochemistry in primary melanoma samples of 106 patients and analyzed in relation to clinicopathological parameters and patients’ survival. The majority of samples contained a significant amount of B lymphocytes, predominantly dispersed in the stroma surrounding tumor deposits (mean peritumoral and intratumoral densities: 178.7 ± 156.1 vs. 4.9 ± 6.9 cells/mm2, respectively). B cells organized in follicle-like aggregates were also observed in 26% of the samples. B-cell density correlated with that of activated (CD25+ or OX40+) T lymphocytes. Infiltration by CD20+ lymphocytes did not correlate with tumor thickness, while the presence of B-cell aggregates was observed more frequently in thick melanomas. On the other hand, B-cell infiltration was more pronounced in nonmetastatic or lymph node metastatic tumors, compared to visceral metastatic ones. Accordingly, high number of these cells provided significant survival advantage (P = 0.0391 and P = 0.0136 for intra- and peritumoral infiltration, respectively). Furthermore, combination of peritumoral B-cell density with the number of activated T lymphocytes identified patient subgroups with different disease outcome, which was most favorable in the case of high density, while very poor in the case of low density of both cell types. Multivariate survival analysis identified tumor thickness and CD20+/OX40+ cell density combination as significant independent prognostic factors. Taken together, our results show correlation between low number of CD20+ B lymphocytes and melanoma progression, indicating a possible role of tumor-infiltrating B cells in antitumoral immune response. It was also reflected in better outcome of the disease since the density of B lymphocytes alone as well as in combination with that of activated T cells proved of prognostic importance in patients with malignant melanoma.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank K. Derecskei, I. Sinka and M. Kónya (National Institute of Oncology, Budapest) for their excellent technical assistance. The study was supported by the National Scientific Research Fund OTKA 72836 (AL), Hungarian Ministry of Health grant ETT 308/2003 (AL), and NKFP1a-0024-05 (JT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Surgical and Molecular Tumor Pathology, National Institute of Oncology, 7–9. Ráth György u., Budapest, 1122, Hungary

    Andrea Ladányi, Judit Kiss & Judit Dobos

  2. Department of Dermatology, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary

    Gabriella Liszkay, Katalin Gilde & Zsuzsanna Fejős

  3. National Cancer Registry, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary

    István Gaudi

  4. Institute of Dermato-Venerology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

    Beáta Somlai

  5. 1st Institute of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

    Anita Mohos

  6. 2nd Institute of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

    József Tímár

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  1. Andrea Ladányi
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Correspondence to Andrea Ladányi.

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Ladányi, A., Kiss, J., Mohos, A. et al. Prognostic impact of B-cell density in cutaneous melanoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 60, 1729–1738 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-011-1071-x

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