Prognostic value of tertiary lymphoid structures in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Tumor aggression-defense index-a novel indicator to predicts recurrence and survival in stage II-III colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Although the TNM staging system plays a critical role in guiding adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC), its precision for risk stratification in stage II and III CRC patients with proficient DNA mismatch repair (pMMR) remains limited. Therefore, precise predictive models and research on postoperative treatments are crucial for enhancing patient survival and improving quality of life.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed 1051 pMMR CRC patients who underwent radical resection and were randomly assigned to training (n = 736) and validation (n = 315) groups. Immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin staining were utilized to evaluate regulatory-Immunoscore (RIS), tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), and tumor budding (TB). The Tumor Aggression-Defense Index (TADI) was derived through a multi-factor COX regression model. Subgroup analysis demonstrated potential of TADI in guiding personalized adjuvant therapy for stage II and III CRC.

RESULTS

Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis indicated that TADI was an independent prognostic indicator. Among stage II CRC, chemotherapy was significantly correlated with improved recurrence times in individuals with intermediate (95% CI 0.19-0.59, P < 0.001) and high (95% CI 0.36-0.95, P = 0.031) TADI. In stage III CRC receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, a duration of 3 months or longer was notably associated with a prolonged time to recurrence in those with high TADI (95% CI 0.40-0.98, P = 0.041) compared to durations of less than 3 months.

CONCLUSION

The TADI serves as an effective parameter for predicting the survival outcomes of stage I-III pMMR CRC patients and guiding precision treatment strategies.

Global trends in tertiary lymphoid structures: a bibliometric analysis from 2014 to 2023

AIM AND BACKGROUND

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are increasingly recognized for their role in immunity. Despite growing interest, a systematic bibliometric analysis of TLS-related research has been lacking. To provide a comprehensive overview of current research trends and hotspots, we conducted a bibliometric analysis using data from the Web of Science Core Collection.

METHODS

We retrieved TLS-related publications from the Science Citation Index Expanded within the Web of Science Core Collection from January 2014 to December 2023. Co-occurrence analysis with "VOSviewer" identified current status and research hotspots, while "CiteSpace" was used for co-citation analysis to assess knowledge evolution and bursts. Thematic evolution was explored using bibliometrics to identify emerging keyword trends. Additionally, we examined country/region, institutional, and author contributions and collaborations. Tables were created using Microsoft Word.

RESULTS

A total of 785 publications were analyzed, showing a continuous growth trend from 2017 to 2023, indicating escalating interest in TLS among researchers. Leading countries in TLS research were China (231 publications), the United States (212 publications), and France (89 publications). The most productive institution and author were the "Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale" (70 publications) and Catherine Sautes-Fridman (21 publications), respectively. Key topics included TLS, B cells, and immunotherapy. Recent research has focused on mechanisms linking TLS with cancers, such as immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, prognosis, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, highlighting an expanding area of study. Additionally, TLS' potential as a biomarker for predicting immunotherapy efficacy across different cancer types remains a burgeoning research direction.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of global TLS-related publications, revealing key literature metrics and identifying influential articles and emerging research concerns. These findings contribute valuable insights into the role of TLS in immunotherapy and suggest future directions for this dynamic field.