The role of macrophages polarization in predicting prognosis of radically resected gastric cancer patients

Tumour-associated Macrophages (TAM) present two different polarizations: classical (M1) characterized by immunostimulation activity and tumour suppression; alternative (M2) characterized by tumour promotion and immune suppression. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the correlation between the two forms of TAM with survival time in radically resected gastric cancer patients. A total of 52 chemo- and radio- naive patients were included. Two slides were prepared for each patient and double-stained for CD68/NOS2 (M1) or CD68/CD163 (M2) and five representative high-power fields per slide were evaluated for TAM count. The median value of the two macrophage populations density and the median value of M1/M2 ratio were used as cut-off. Twenty-seven patients with M1 density above-the-median had a significantly higher survival compared to those below the median. Twenty-six patients with M1/M2 ratio above the median showed median OS of 27.2 months compared to 15.5 months of the patients below the median. No association between M2 macrophage density and patient’s outcome was found. In multivariate analysis, M1/M2 was a positive independent predictor of survival. The M1 macrophage density and M1/M2 ratio, as con- firmed in multivariate analysis, are factors that can help in predicting patients survival time after radical surgery for gastric cancer

Tumor associated macrophages polarization dictates the efficacy of BCG instillation in non-muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the prognostic role of TAMs in patients affected by non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), undergone Trans Urethral Resection of Bladder (TURB) and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy.METHODS: Data from 40 patients (36 men, 4 women), mean age 69 years (40-83 years), treated for NMIBC with TURB and BCG instillation were collected. Two different groups were considered: group with and group without bladder cancer recurrence. Correlations between immunofluorescence measured Mtot, M1 and M2 infiltration and clinicopathological parameters were evaluated using Spearman and Mann-Whitney methods. The recurrence-free survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS: CD68 positive cells (Mtot) were observed in all specimens tested. High Mtot, M1 and M2 infiltration was observed in patients with disease recurrence, even before endovescical BCG instillation. Significant value for M2 infiltration (p = 0,042) was found calculating significativity between two group medians before BCG therapy. p = 0,072 and p = 0,180 were observed correlating median of Mtot and M1 between two groups of patients respectively. Values of p = 0,44, p = 0,23 and p = 0,64 from correlation between DFS and Mtot, M1 and M2 median in patients before endovescical BCG instillation, were calculated respectively. Comparing DFS and Mtot, M1 and M2 median in patients group after endovescical BCG instillation significant values were obtained (p = 0,020; p = 0,02; and p = 0,029 respectively).CONCLUSIONS: M2 tumor infiltration could be a prognostic value of recurrence in patients with NMIBC

The role of macrophages polarization in predicting prognosis of radically resected gastric cancer patients

Tumour-associated Macrophages (TAM) present two different polarizations:classical (M1) characterized by immunostimulation activity and tumoursuppression; alternative (M2) characterized by tumour promotion and immunesuppression. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the correlation betweenthe two forms of TAM with survival time in radically resected gastric cancerpatients. A total of 52 chemo- and radio-naive patients were included. Two slideswere prepared for each patient and double-stained for CD68/NOS2 (M1) orCD68/CD163 (M2) and five representative high-power fields per slide wereevaluated for TAM count. The median value of the two macrophage populationsdensity and the median value of M1/M2 ratio were used as cut-off. Twenty-sevenpatients with M1 density above-the-median had a significantly higher survivalcompared to those below the median. Twenty-six patients with M1/M2 ratio abovethe median showed median OS of 27.2 months compared to 15.5 months of thepatients below the median. No association between M2 macrophage density andpatient's outcome was found. In multivariate analysis, M1/M2 was a positiveindependent predictor of survival. The M1 macrophage density and M1/M2 ratio, as confirmed in multivariate analysis, are factors that can help in predictingpatients survival time after radical surgery for gastric cancer