Objective: The aim of the present study was to correlate the level of tumor-infiltrating immune cells with bladder cancer size and T category in patients with solitary low-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
Patients and methods: Between 1996 and 2006, 115 patients with solitary low-grade NMIBC after transurethral resection of the bladder without adjuvant therapy were retrospectively identified from the institutional database. Tumor specimens were retrieved and tissue microarrays were constructed. Immunhistochemical staining for tumor-infiltrating immune cells with anti-CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD56, CD68, and granzyme B (Gr B) was performed.
Results: Immune cells were predominantly observed within the cancer stroma. Statistically significant higher levels of CD56 cells in small tumors and CD68 cells in T1 tumors (p = 0.0310, 0.0151, respectively) were established.
Conclusion: The current study propose a possible correlation of CD56+ and CD68+ cells with bladder cancer size and stage in patients with solitary low-grade NMIBC.
Keywords: NK cells; T category; macrophages; non-muscle invasive bladder cancer; tumor microenviroment; tumor size.