Stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are currently being considered as a prognostic factor in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and their association with the tumor immune microenvironment is less clear. To address this knowledge gap, investigators aimed to evaluate the expression and association of Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), its ligand (PD-L1) and lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) checkpoint proteins with TILs in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) treated TNBC patients.
Patients (n=54; aged;24-45 years) were classified into two groups: thirty-nine received anthracycline-containing, taxane- (A+T group) and fifteen received anthracycline/taxane /carboplatin (A+T+C group) in combinations. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was used for the evaluation of PD-1, PD-L1 and LAG-3. However, TIL assessment was done by hematoxylin and eosin (H\&E)-staining in TNBC patient's biopsies who received NACT.
