Associations Between Body Composition and Intratumoural Immune Cells in Patients With Uterine Cervical Cancer.

BACKGROUND

In uterine cervical cancer (UCC), reduced muscle mass and radiodensity have been linked to unfavourable clinical outcomes. Our aim was to elucidate the associations between body composition (BC) and intratumoural immune cells in patients with UCC.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, BC was analysed in 61 patients with UCC using staging computed tomography. The parameters of BC were skeletal muscle area (SMA), skeletal muscle radiodensity, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). The radiodensities of VAT, SAT and IMAT were also estimated. Tumour specimens underwent histopathological analysis to quantify stromal and intratumoural CD45-positive cells. Associations between body composition parameters and tumour immune cell infiltration were analysed using ANOVA.

RESULTS

Patients with low muscle radiodensity (myosteatosis) had a lower proportion of stromal CD45-positive cells than patients with normal muscle radiodensity (21.6% ± 21.90% vs. 34.85% ± 25.55%; p = 0.04). High levels of SAT were associated with lower scores for tumour-infiltrating CD45 cells (p = 0.03). High IMAT radiodensity was associated with lower stromal CD45 scores (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Myosteatosis, high SAT and increased IMAT radiodensity were associated with reduced stromal and intratumoural immune cell infiltration in patients with UCC. These body composition parameters may serve as prognostic markers and should be explored in risk stratification.