Aim: To evaluate the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and Ki67 in brain metastasis lesions, and the effect of adding them to variables of graded prognostic assessment score.
Patients & methods: Clinicopathological information from 111 medical charts of brain metastasis patients was obtained, and TIL distribution (n = 84), Ki67 index (n = 79) and CD3 TIL (n = 64) were prospectively evaluated.
Results: Most frequent TIL pattern was perivascular (67.8%), and median Ki67 and CD3 TIL percents were 30 and 4.8%, respectively. Ki67 ≥15 was associated with shorter survival (p = 0.018) but CD3 TIL was not (p = 0.870). The highest graded prognostic assessment score was not associated with survival (p = 0.648), however, those with low Ki67 and high score was associated with better outcome (p = 0.007).
Conclusion: High Ki67 index in brain metastasis carries a worse prognosis.
Keywords: brain metastasis; infiltrating lymphocytes; proliferation index; survival.