NK cell infiltration is associated with improved overall survival in solid cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sarah Nersesian; Sarah L. Schwartz; Stephanie R. Grantham; Leah K. MacLean; Stacey N. Lee; Morgan Pugh-Toole; Jeanette E. Boudreau

doi:10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100930

NK cell infiltration is associated with improved overall survival in solid cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sarah Nersesian, Sarah L. Schwartz, Stephanie R. Grantham, Leah K. MacLean, Stacey N. Lee, Morgan Pugh-Toole, Jeanette E. Boudreau

Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

120 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The immune landscape of a tumor is highly connected to patient prognosis and response to treatment, but little is known about how natural killer (NK) cells predict overall survival (OS) among patients with solid tumors. We present the first meta-analysis on NK cell infiltration into solid tumors as a prognostic indicator for OS, considering cancer types independently, and together. Samples were collected from 1973 to 2016 with results published between 1989 and 2020. From 53 studies, we found that NK cell infiltration corresponds with decreased risk of death (HR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.26–0.46; p<0.0001). Among studies that investigated the prognostic potential of NK cells in specific regions of the tumor, intraepithelial infiltration was better predictive of OS than NK infiltration in the tumor-adjacent stroma. Generally, NK cell infiltration is lower in advanced-stage and lower-grade tumors; nevertheless, it remains prognostically beneficial. This meta-analysis highlights an important prognostic role of NK cells in solid tumors, but exposes that few studies have considered the contributions of NK cells. Toward NK cell-based immunotherapies, it will be important to understand the conditions under which NK cells can be effective agents of tumor control.

Original language	English
Article number	100930
Journal	Translational Oncology
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100930
Publication status	Published - Jan 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Canadian Cancer Research Institute and the Terry Fox New Investigator program to J.E.B within the Pan-Canadian Immunotherapeutic Network (iTNT). S.N. is supported by a Killam Scholarship and President's Award through Dalhousie University . S.L.S. is supported by scholarships from the Dalhousie Medicine Research Foundation (CIBC Graduate) and Research Nova Scotia . S.N., S.L.S., and S.N.L are supported by Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarships . S.N., L.K.M and S.N.L. are trainees in the Cancer Research Training Program of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute . S.R.G. is supported by the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute through the IWK Foundation Jeremy Ingham Summer Studentship . S.N.L. is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canadian Graduate Scholarship .

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Oncology
Cancer Research

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100930

Cite this

@article{3e546c4dd5534a4787df7248c278bf31,

title = "NK cell infiltration is associated with improved overall survival in solid cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis",

abstract = "The immune landscape of a tumor is highly connected to patient prognosis and response to treatment, but little is known about how natural killer (NK) cells predict overall survival (OS) among patients with solid tumors. We present the first meta-analysis on NK cell infiltration into solid tumors as a prognostic indicator for OS, considering cancer types independently, and together. Samples were collected from 1973 to 2016 with results published between 1989 and 2020. From 53 studies, we found that NK cell infiltration corresponds with decreased risk of death (HR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.26–0.46; p<0.0001). Among studies that investigated the prognostic potential of NK cells in specific regions of the tumor, intraepithelial infiltration was better predictive of OS than NK infiltration in the tumor-adjacent stroma. Generally, NK cell infiltration is lower in advanced-stage and lower-grade tumors; nevertheless, it remains prognostically beneficial. This meta-analysis highlights an important prognostic role of NK cells in solid tumors, but exposes that few studies have considered the contributions of NK cells. Toward NK cell-based immunotherapies, it will be important to understand the conditions under which NK cells can be effective agents of tumor control.",

author = "Sarah Nersesian and Schwartz, {Sarah L.} and Grantham, {Stephanie R.} and MacLean, {Leah K.} and Lee, {Stacey N.} and Morgan Pugh-Toole and Boudreau, {Jeanette E.}",

note = "Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Canadian Cancer Research Institute and the Terry Fox New Investigator program to J.E.B within the Pan-Canadian Immunotherapeutic Network (iTNT). S.N. is supported by a Killam Scholarship and President's Award through Dalhousie University . S.L.S. is supported by scholarships from the Dalhousie Medicine Research Foundation (CIBC Graduate) and Research Nova Scotia . S.N., S.L.S., and S.N.L are supported by Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarships . S.N., L.K.M and S.N.L. are trainees in the Cancer Research Training Program of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute . S.R.G. is supported by the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute through the IWK Foundation Jeremy Ingham Summer Studentship . S.N.L. is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canadian Graduate Scholarship . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020",

year = "2021",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100930",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

journal = "Translational Oncology",

issn = "1936-5233",

publisher = "Neoplasia Press",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - NK cell infiltration is associated with improved overall survival in solid cancers

T2 - A systematic review and meta-analysis

AU - Nersesian, Sarah

AU - Schwartz, Sarah L.

AU - Grantham, Stephanie R.

AU - MacLean, Leah K.

AU - Lee, Stacey N.

AU - Pugh-Toole, Morgan

AU - Boudreau, Jeanette E.

N1 - Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Canadian Cancer Research Institute and the Terry Fox New Investigator program to J.E.B within the Pan-Canadian Immunotherapeutic Network (iTNT). S.N. is supported by a Killam Scholarship and President's Award through Dalhousie University . S.L.S. is supported by scholarships from the Dalhousie Medicine Research Foundation (CIBC Graduate) and Research Nova Scotia . S.N., S.L.S., and S.N.L are supported by Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarships . S.N., L.K.M and S.N.L. are trainees in the Cancer Research Training Program of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute . S.R.G. is supported by the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute through the IWK Foundation Jeremy Ingham Summer Studentship . S.N.L. is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canadian Graduate Scholarship . Publisher Copyright: © 2020

PY - 2021/1

Y1 - 2021/1

N2 - The immune landscape of a tumor is highly connected to patient prognosis and response to treatment, but little is known about how natural killer (NK) cells predict overall survival (OS) among patients with solid tumors. We present the first meta-analysis on NK cell infiltration into solid tumors as a prognostic indicator for OS, considering cancer types independently, and together. Samples were collected from 1973 to 2016 with results published between 1989 and 2020. From 53 studies, we found that NK cell infiltration corresponds with decreased risk of death (HR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.26–0.46; p<0.0001). Among studies that investigated the prognostic potential of NK cells in specific regions of the tumor, intraepithelial infiltration was better predictive of OS than NK infiltration in the tumor-adjacent stroma. Generally, NK cell infiltration is lower in advanced-stage and lower-grade tumors; nevertheless, it remains prognostically beneficial. This meta-analysis highlights an important prognostic role of NK cells in solid tumors, but exposes that few studies have considered the contributions of NK cells. Toward NK cell-based immunotherapies, it will be important to understand the conditions under which NK cells can be effective agents of tumor control.

AB - The immune landscape of a tumor is highly connected to patient prognosis and response to treatment, but little is known about how natural killer (NK) cells predict overall survival (OS) among patients with solid tumors. We present the first meta-analysis on NK cell infiltration into solid tumors as a prognostic indicator for OS, considering cancer types independently, and together. Samples were collected from 1973 to 2016 with results published between 1989 and 2020. From 53 studies, we found that NK cell infiltration corresponds with decreased risk of death (HR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.26–0.46; p<0.0001). Among studies that investigated the prognostic potential of NK cells in specific regions of the tumor, intraepithelial infiltration was better predictive of OS than NK infiltration in the tumor-adjacent stroma. Generally, NK cell infiltration is lower in advanced-stage and lower-grade tumors; nevertheless, it remains prognostically beneficial. This meta-analysis highlights an important prognostic role of NK cells in solid tumors, but exposes that few studies have considered the contributions of NK cells. Toward NK cell-based immunotherapies, it will be important to understand the conditions under which NK cells can be effective agents of tumor control.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096223865&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85096223865&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100930

DO - 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100930

M3 - Article

C2 - 33186888

AN - SCOPUS:85096223865

SN - 1936-5233

VL - 14

JO - Translational Oncology

JF - Translational Oncology

IS - 1

M1 - 100930

ER -

NK cell infiltration is associated with improved overall survival in solid cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

PubMed: MeSH publication types

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this