Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is characterized by an intense stromal reaction and a complex landscape of infiltrating immune cells. Evidence is emerging that tumor-infiltrating neutrophils (TINs) have an impact on carcinogenesis and tumor progression. TINs have also been associated with outcomes in various solid malignant tumors but their possible clinical role in BTC is largely unknown. Tissue samples from patients with sporadic BTC ("spBTC" cohort, N = 53) and BTC in association with primary sclerosing cholangitis ("PSC-BTC" cohort, N = 7) were collected. Furthermore, tissue samples from 27 patients with PSC who underwent liver transplantation ("PSC-LTX" cohort) were investigated. All specimens were assessed for TIN density in invasive and precancerous lesions (biliary intraepithelial neoplasia, BilIN). Most spBTC showed low TIN density (LD, 61%). High TIN density (HD) was detected in 16% of the tumors, whereas 23% were classified as intermediate density (ID); the majority of both HD and ID groups were in T1-T2 tumors (83% and 100%, p = 0.012). TIN density in BilIN lesions did not significantly differ among the three groups. The HD group had a mean overall survival (OS) of 53.5 months, whereas the mean OS in the LD and ID groups was significantly shorter (LD 29.5 months vs. ID 24.6 months, log-rank p < 0.05). The results of this study underline the possible prognostic relevance of TINs in BTC and stress the complexity of the immune cell landscape in BTC. The prognostic relevance of TINs suggests a key regulator role in inflammation and immune landscape in BTC.
Keywords: biliary tract cancer; cholangiocarcinoma; neutrophils; prognosis.