Macrophage and T-Cell Infiltration and Topographic Immune Cell Distribution in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer of the Head and Neck

Frohwitter G, Kerta MT, Vogl C, Geppert CI, Werry JE, Ries J, Kesting MR, Weber M (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Frontiers in Oncology Frontiers Media

Book Volume: 12

Article Number: 809687

DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.809687

Abstract

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is a heterogeneous tumor entity that is vastly determined by age and UV-light exposure leading to a great mutational burden in cancer cells. However, the success of immune checkpoint blockade in advanced NMSC and the incidence and disease control rates of NMSC in organ transplant recipients compared to immunologically uncompromised patients point toward the emerging importance of the immunologic activity of NMSC. To gain first insight into the role of T-cell and macrophage infiltration in NMSC of the head and neck and capture their different immunogenic profiles, which appear to be highly relevant for the response to immunotherapy, we conducted a whole slide analysis of 107 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) samples and 117 cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) samples. The CD8⁺ and CD68⁺ immune cell expression in both cancer types was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and a topographic distribution profile, and the proportion of both cell populations within the two tumor entities was assessed. The results show highly significant differences in terms of CD8⁺ T-cell and CD68⁺ macrophage infiltration in BCC and cSCC and indicate cSCC as a highly immunogenic tumor. Yet, BCC presents less immune cell infiltration; the relation between the immune cells compared to cSCC does not show any significant difference. These findings help explain disparities in local aggressiveness, distant metastasis, and eligibility for immune checkpoint blockade in both tumor entities and encourage further research.

Authors with CRIS profile

Gesche Frohwitter Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery Marie-Theres Kerta Medizinische Fakultät Carol-Immanuel Geppert Institute of Pathology Jan-Erik Werry Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery Jutta Ries Medizinische Fakultät Marco Rainer Kesting Lehrstuhl für Zahnmedizin, insbesondere Mund-, Kiefer-, und Gesichtschirurgie Manuel Weber Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery

How to cite

APA:

Frohwitter, G., Kerta, M.-T., Vogl, C., Geppert, C.-I., Werry, J.-E., Ries, J.,... Weber, M. (2022). Macrophage and T-Cell Infiltration and Topographic Immune Cell Distribution in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer of the Head and Neck. Frontiers in Oncology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.809687

MLA:

Frohwitter, Gesche, et al. "Macrophage and T-Cell Infiltration and Topographic Immune Cell Distribution in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer of the Head and Neck." Frontiers in Oncology 12 (2022).

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