Tumor-Associated Macrophage Infiltration and PD-L1 Expression in Gastric Cancer According to a Modified TCGA-Based Classification.

[PURPOSE] Although gastric cancer (GC) exhibits significant genomic heterogeneity, the clinical implications of its immune microenvironment remain poorly understood.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] We retrospectively evaluated patients with GC who underwent gastrectomies between 2011 and 2014. The tumors were analyzed for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD3), tumor-associated macrophages (CD68 and CD163), and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Tumors were classified using the modified The Cancer Genome Atlas scheme, and their clinical characteristics were compared.

[RESULTS] A total of 567 patients were classified into EBV (6%), MSI-H (10%), chromosomal instability-like (36%), and genomically stable-like (48%) subtypes. EBV tumors exhibited the highest PD-L1 expression (85%) and immune infiltration by CD3+ T cells (86%), CD68+ macrophages (58%), and CD163+ macrophages (40%). High CD68+ macrophage tumors were associated with advanced stages and worse 5-year disease-free survival (83% vs. 95%; P<0.001); however, this association was not independently significant after adjusting for the tumor-node-metastasis stage. PD-L1 expression did not significantly affect the survival outcomes.

[CONCLUSIONS] GC subtypes have distinct immune microenvironments that influence prognosis. Our findings highlight the prognostic and therapeutic potential of immune profiling in GC.