Relationship Between Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILS) and Hormone-Sensitive (Breast and Prostate) Cancer Survival: Cases Received at Yaoundé General Hospital from 2019 to 2023: Relation entre les Lymphocytes Infiltrant la Tumeur (TILS) et la Survie au Cancer Hormono-Sensible (Sein et Prostate) : Cas Reçus à l'Hôpital Général de Yaoundé de 2019 à 2023

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is a malignant tumor that can induce an immune response. Studies have shown that the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a good prognostic marker for assessing survival in cancer patients; however, no similar data have yet been published in Cameroon. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between TILs and the survival of breast and prostate cancer patients at (Yaounde General Hospital) YGH between 2019 and 2023. Methods: A retrospective and cross-sectional study was undertaken at the Oncology Department and the Anatomo-Cytopathology Laboratory of YGH. A consecutive non-probability sampling of 212 breast cancer patients and 89 prostate cancer patients who agreed to participate in the study constituted our sample. The correlation between TILs and chemotherapy as well as TILs and survival were analyzed. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel, Epi-info 7 and SPSS softwares and statistical significance was considered at p< 0.05. Results: Microscopic analysis of breast tissue revealed four TILs grades: absent (17.45%), low (18.40%), intermediate (27.83%) and high TIL grade (36.32%), while in PCa the most represented TILs grade was intermediate (31.46%). In BCa the intermediate TIL grade was positively associated with a good response to chemotherapy (p ˂ 0.05). The overall 5-year survival in this study was around 44% for BCa, whereas it was 42 months for those with infiltration in PCa. No positive correlation was found between TILs grade and survival in BCa patients (p = 0.45), while in PCa, it was found that TILs are significantly correlated (p =0.016) with survival. Conclusion: No positive association was observed between TILs as graded and 5-year survival in BCa patients; however, it may have prognostic value in PCa patients. Further studies are encouraged to investigate the association between BCa molecular groups and TILs.