Immunoexpression of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes(TILS) CD4 + and CD8 + in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) in Correlations with Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze CD4 +and CD8 + TILs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to correlate it with histologic grade of malignancy and clinicopathologic data. METHODS: The sample was composed of 43 archived specimens. Clinical features and histological grade of malignancy were obtained. The infiltrating intensity of CD4 +, CD8 positive cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry. One-way ANOVA was used to study the association between CD4 +, CD8 + and the grade of OSCC. The cut-off values of the proposed diagnostic indices were received from calculating the coordinates of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. For clinicopathologic data Independent-Samples T test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Correlation Coefficient were used clinicopathologic characteristics. RESULTS: CD4 +and CD8 + were observed in all specimens. CD4 + were more frequent in poorly differentiated specimens (74.14) (P= 0.021<0.05). CD8 + were more frequent in well- differentiated specimens (51.18). None of these correlations were significant (P=0.454>0.05). CD4 +/ CD8 ratio was higher in low-grade specimens (180.28) (P=0.017<0.05). No differences between CD4 +, CD8 +and CD4 +/ CD8 ratio between poorly- differentiated and moderately- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.370, 0.248, 0.126) respectively. there is a difference between CD4 +, CD4 +/ CD8ratio between poorly- differentiated and well- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.022, 0.341, 0.012) Sensitivity (0.857, 0.882), specificity (0.706, 0.857) respectively. and no differences between CD8 + poorly- differentiated and well- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.341). there is a difference between CD4 + between moderately - differentiated and well- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.038) Sensitivity (0.368), specificity (0,765). No significant correlation was obtained with clinicopathologic findings of OSCC. CONCLUSION: CD4 + and CD4 +/ CD8 + ratio are independent prognostic factor in OSCC.