Objective: To study the correlation between M2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and invasion patterns in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissues.
Methods: In the present observational study, two commercial SCC tissue microarrays were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016. CD163-positive cells in a cervical SCC tissue microarray were identified. Tissue samples were stratified into groups based on a pushing border pattern (PBP), a diffuse infiltration pattern (DIP), or non-tumorous tissues included as a control group; M2 TAM numbers and distributions were compared.
Results: The microarrays included 109 cervical SCC samples and 45 non-tumorous control samples. The mean number of intratumoral M2 TAMs in cervical SCC tissue samples (35.8 ± 28.3) was significantly higher than the number of intraepithelial M2 TAMs in non-tumorous cervical samples (1.2 ± 3.6) (P<0.001); similarly, the number of peritumoral M2 TAMs in cervical SCC (44.7 ± 29.4) was higher than in non-tumorous cervical tissues (10.4 ± 9.2) (P<0.001). The numbers of intratumoral (P=0.046) and peritumoral (P=0.002) M2 TAMs were higher among the DIP group compared with the PBP group.
Conclusion: A close relationship was identified between M2 TAMs and invasion patterns in cervical SCC. Further, M2 TAM infiltration was more pronounced in DIP compared with PBP SCC tissue samples.
Keywords: CD163; Cervical squamous cell carcinoma; Diffuse infiltration pattern; Immunohistochemistry; Invasion patterns; M2 tumor-associated macrophages; Pushing border pattern; Tumor microenvironment.
© 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.