Work

Association Between Tumor T-Cell Receptor Repertoire and Stromal Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer: A Single-Center Observational Cohort Study

Year: 2026

Type: preprint

Abstract: Background： Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are known to correlate with treatment response and prognosis in breast cancer; however, their qualitative evaluation remains insufficient. T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire analysis may reflect tumor immune responses, and its association with treatment efficacy has been reported in other malignancies. This study investigated the relationship between the tumor TCR repertoire and TILs in breast cancer. Methods： We enrolled 29 patients aged ≥20 years with primary breast cancer (Stage 0–III) diagnosed at Kawasaki Medical School Hospital between January 2023 and March 2024 who provided consent for peripheral blood and tumor sampling prior to treatment. TCR repertoire analysis was performed on tumor tissue and peripheral blood to calculate diversity and clonality. The primary endpoint was the correlation between the tumor TCR repertoire and stromal TILs. Secondary endpoints included associations between the tumor repertoire and breast cancer subtype, clinical TNM stage, peripheral blood TCR repertoire, age, and BMI. Results： Tumor TCR diversity was positively correlated with TILs (TRA: ρ=0.564, P=0.003; TRB: ρ=0.636, P<0.0010.0005). Tumor TCR clonality also correlated with TILs for TRA (ρ=0.516, P=0.007) but not for TRB (ρ=0.331, P=0.098). No significant correlation was observed between tumor and peripheral blood repertoires. Tumor TCR were not associated with stage, age, or BMI. Conclusions： Both TCR diversity and clonality showed significant positive correlations with TIL levels, providing qualitative insights that complement quantitative TIL assessment. These features reveal deeper aspects of tumor immunity, potentially informing more precise personalized therapeutic strategies in breast cancer.

Source: Research Square

DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-10584041/v1