There is clear evidence that the immune system plays an essential role in tumor defense. By determining tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), the individual immunological response becomes more apparent and measurable. In breast cancer, high levels of TILs are associated with a more favorable clinical course. In this review, we describe how TILs are determined with emphasis on daily routine diagnostics. We further discuss their impact as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy setting as well as in residual disease. We also discuss their potential future implications on further stratifying prognostic subgroups of breast cancer, thereby possibly influencing future therapy considerations.
Keywords: Adjuvant; Breast cancer; Neoadjuvant; Pathological complete response; Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.