Prognostic value of tumor infiltrating NK cells and macrophages in stage II plus III esophageal cancer patients

The detailed understanding of the immunobiology of tumor microenvironment has recently translated into new therapeutic approach against human cancers. Besides the role of immune cells mediating adaptive immune responses, the tumor infiltrating components of the innate immune system including, neutrophils, mast cells, NK cells, and macrophages, also role importantly in anti-tumor immunity. In our present study, we retrospectively analyzed the prognostic value of the densities of tumor infiltrating NK cells and macrophages in esophageal cancer tissues derived from stage II+III patients. Our results showed that the density of the infiltrating NK cells in tumor stroma was significantly associated with nodal status. In addition, the densities of the infiltrating NK cells in tumor nest, and the infiltrating macrophages in tumor nest as well as in tumor stroma, were significantly associated with patients' postoperative prognoses. Furthermore, the combination of infiltrating NK cells in tumor nest and stroma, or the combination of infiltrating macrophages in tumor nest and stroma, could also be used as important prognostic tool in predicting the survival of the stage II=III esophageal cancer patients.