Distribution characteristics of immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion in patients with breast cancer skin recurrence - Article Abstract

Q: What is the main aim of the study in breast cancer skin recurrence?

To assess how immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion are distributed in patients with breast cancer skin recurrence.

Q: How were the immune and lymphovascular biomarkers evaluated?

Biomarkers were quantified in primary breast cancers, skin lesions, and visceral metastatic lesions, and differences between matched tissues were analyzed statistically.

Q: What marker patterns were reported between primary tumors and skin recurrences?

Lymphocyte immune marker expression was higher in primary tumor specimens than in skin recurrences; CD8, CD57, and CD31 were higher in primary breast cancer compared with skin.

Q: What does the study suggest about prognosis and disease progression?

Low expression of D2-40 and CD163 in skin lesions suggests a decrease in DFS, and immune suppression may intensify with disease progression.

Sep 21, 2026

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Background centers on determining how immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion are spatially distributed in breast cancer skin recurrence. Methods retrospectively evaluate clinicopathological records for patients undergoing radical surgery for primary breast cancer who developed skin recurrence from January 2001 to April 2019. Immune and lymphovascular biomarkers are quantified across primary tumors, skin lesions, and visceral metastases, and inter-tissue differences are tested using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Kruskal–Wallis analyses. Findings compare marker expression patterns and relate low D2-40 and CD163 to DFS.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Breast cancer recurrence and skin involvement

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and immune regulation

T-cell subsets and clinical relevance

Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy (2024) 73:223 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-024-03783-6](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-024-03783-6) Distribution characteristics of immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion in patients with breast cancer skin recurrence Danyang Zhou1,2 · Mei Li1 · Wei Wu1 · Ying Wu3 · Qiaohong Nong2 · Shusen Wang1 · Ruoxi Hong1 Received: 4 June 2024 / Accepted: 17 July 2024 / Published online: 5 September 2024 © The Author(s) 2024 Abstract Background To assess the distribution characteristics of immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion in breast cancer skin recurrence patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of patients who underwent radical surgery for primary breast cancer and experienced skin recurrence between January 2001 and April 2019. Immune and lymphovascular biomarkers were quantified in primary breast cancers, skin lesions and visceral metastatic lesions. Differences in biomarkers distribution between matched tissues were statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal–Wallis one-way ANOVA. Results A total of 71 female breast cancer patients were reviewed in this study. Our study found that the expression levels of various lymphocyte immune markers in primary tumor specimens were higher than those in skin recurrences. The expression of CD8, CD57 and CD31 in primary breast cancer was higher than those in the skin. Compared to visceral metastatic lesions, D2-40 was highly expressed in the skin, while CD8 tended to decrease. In the skin specimens, the expression of CD8 (P < 0.001), FOXP3 (P = 0.006) and CD68 (P < 0.001) in the intratumoral area was higher, while the expression of CD57 (P < 0.001) was higher in the peritumoral area. Analyzing specimens from the same patient at different time points of skin progression, it was found that the expression of peritumoral CD4 decreased (P = 0.044) as the disease progressed. The low expression of D2-40 and CD163 in the skin lesions suggested a decrease in DFS. Conclusion The immune microenvironment of breast cancer skin recurrence may be in a state of suppression, and this suppression may intensify with disease progression. The pattern of skin recurrence may be more inclined toward lymphatic invasion. Our study provides new insights into the biological behaviors of this disease and its response to immunotherapy. Keywords Skin recurrence · Immune infiltration · Lymphovascular invasion · Breast cancer · Prognosis Danyang Zhou, Mei Li and Wei Wu have contributed equally to this work as first authors. * Qiaohong Nong [nongqh2021@163.com](nongqh2021@163.com) * Shusen Wang [wangshs@sysucc.org.cn](wangshs@sysucc.org.cn) * Ruoxi Hong [hongrx@sysucc.org.cn](hongrx@sysucc.org.cn) 1 Department of Medical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510000, China 2 Department of Oncology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China 3 Department of Interventional Therapy, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China Introduction In 2020, breast cancer was the most prevalent and deadliest cancer among women globally [1]. Approximately 5%–40% of breast cancer patients experience recurrence in the chest wall [2–5]. Based on the depth of lesion involvement, it can be classified into involvement of subcutaneous tissue, skin or both. The skin, with its complex network of diverse cell types and the flexibility of blood vessels and lymph nodes, plays a significant role in maintaining vital bodily functions and the progression of tumors [6–10]. Our previous research indicated that skin involvement is a predictor of poor disease control in patients with chest wall recurrence and is closely related to continuous chest wall progression [11] . In skin recurrence of breast cancer, about one-third of

FAQs

What is the main aim of the study in breast cancer skin recurrence?

To assess how immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion are distributed in patients with breast cancer skin recurrence.

How were the immune and lymphovascular biomarkers evaluated?

Biomarkers were quantified in primary breast cancers, skin lesions, and visceral metastatic lesions, and differences between matched tissues were analyzed statistically.

What marker patterns were reported between primary tumors and skin recurrences?

Lymphocyte immune marker expression was higher in primary tumor specimens than in skin recurrences; CD8, CD57, and CD31 were higher in primary breast cancer compared with skin.

What does the study suggest about prognosis and disease progression?

Low expression of D2-40 and CD163 in skin lesions suggests a decrease in DFS, and immune suppression may intensify with disease progression.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Levi