Foxp3+ cell counts were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 59 canine mammary tumors, 20 adenomas, and 39 carcinomas in three different compartments: intratumoral, within the adjacent stroma, and in the distant stroma. Foxp3+ lymphocyte counts were compared with histotype, grading, presence of lymphatic invasion, immunohistochemical expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, expression of c-erbB-2, and the overall survival (OS). Our findings confirmed that Foxp3+ cells were significantly higher in canine mammary carcinomas compared to adenomas. A significantly higher number of Foxp3+ cells were detected in grade III carcinomas compared to grade II carcinomas, as well as in tumors with lymphatic invasion and loss of ER-expression. Finally, a high number of Foxp3+ cells was associated with poor prognosis. In conclusion, our findings highlighted the association of Foxp3+ lymphocytes with negative clinicopathological features and shorter overall survival (OS), thus confirming the role of Tregs as a negative prognostic marker in canine mammary carcinomas.
Keywords: FoxP3; TME; canine mammary tumors; immunohistochemistry; prognostic markers.