Conclusion
CD4+ TIL infiltration in intertumoral lesions was related with CIN2 regression. Our findings suggest CD4+ TIL infiltration may be useful for the triage of CIN2 patients.
Methods
One hundred fifteen CIN2 patients were enrolled. The percentage of p16-, minichromosome maintenance complex component 2- or apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic subunit 3G (APOBEC3G)-positive cells was determined immunohistochemically. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in intertumoral lesions were scored using an automated system. CIN3 disease progression and regression rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. A case-control study was conducted to screen CIN2 prognostic factors in 10 regression and 10 progression patients. Selected factors were examined in a cohort study to determine their prognostic value for CIN2.
Objective
To identify candidate predictors for the prognosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 (CIN2) lesions and evaluate the prognostic value of the local immune response.
Results
Among all participants, the cumulative progression and regression rates at 60 months were 0.477 and 0.510, respectively. In the case-control study, p16- and APOBEC3G-positive cells were higher in the progression group (p=0.043, p=0.023). Additionally, CD4+ cell infiltration was enhanced in the regression group (p=0.023). The cohort study revealed a significantly increased progression rate in patients with elevated p16-positive cells (p<0.001), and increased CD4+ TIL infiltration was associated with better regression (p=0.011). Kaplan-Meier analysis according to human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity revealed a greater CIN3 development risk in HPV16-positive patients than in HPV16-negative cases. Finally, multivariate analysis identified HPV16 infection and CD4+ TIL infiltration as independent prognostic factors in CIN2 regression.