The Role of Infiltrated T Lymphocyte in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Insights into Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognosis

Abstract

Background

To compare and analyze the presence of CD4+ and CD8 + lymphocyte infiltrates in Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissue versus adjacent tissue and their clinical significance.

Methods

We enrolled a total of 152 patients diagnosed with OSCC, all of whom had confirmed diagnoses through pathological reports. Clinical and demographics data were extracted from medical records. Tissue microarrays were constructed and immunohistochemical staining for CD4 and CD8 was performed.

Findings

The average number of infiltrating CD4+ T cells in OSCC tumor tissue was 1026.22±1163.36 cells/mm², which did not significantly differ from the count in adjacent tissue, which was 1163.36±1013.23 cells/mm². However, the number of CD8+ T cell infiltration in tumor tissue was significantly higher than in adjacent tissue (655.25±705.70 vs 504.56±659.26 cells/mm2, p = 0.026). We observed that, among patients who consumed alcohol, the CD4+ T cell infiltration in tumor tissue being significantly lower than that in adjacent tissue (P=0.036). Moreover, the CD8+ T cell infiltration in cancer tissue was significantly higher than in adjacent tissue for T1-2 patients (p=0.005). Patients with higher CD8+ T cell in tumor tissue exhibited significantly improved overall survival (p = 0.043). Multivariate analyses revealed that alcohol consumption had a significant impact on the number of CD4+T lymphocytes in tumor tissue (OR = 0.403, P = 0.033) while T stage was the independent factor affecting CD8+ T lymphocyte infiltration in tumor tissue (OR = 0.459, P = 0.031).

Interpretation

OSCC patients with a higher number of CD8+ T lymphocyte infiltration in tumor tissue exhibited an improved prognosis.

Keywords:

• microenvironment
• OSCC
• CD8 T cells
• CD4 T cells
• prognosis

Data Sharing Statement

Authors can confirm all relevant data are included in the article, materials are available on reasonable request from the authors and the data was deposited in the Research Data Deposit respository(NO. RDDA2024478017)

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Hospital endorsed the study (Approval No. SL-B2023-374-01). All patient provided written informed consent, agreed to follow the protocol and take specimens, and was willing to anonymously publish details of the medical record.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the patients included in this study, and the nurses who assisted in patient management and collection of samples.

Disclosure

None of the authors have competing interests to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund (Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province) with No. 2023A1515010464, 2022A1515012631 and 2024A1515013244 and Guangdong Province Health Technology Promotion Project No. 202107021915135539.