Heterogeneity and distribution characteristics of tertiary lymphoid structures predict prognostic outcome in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLSs) are ectopic lymphoid aggregates that form within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are increasingly recognized as potential prognostic biomarkers in various cancers. However, the spatial heterogeneity and prognostic value of TLSs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain poorly defined. This study aimed to characterize the spatial distribution patterns of TLSs and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and to establish a refined prognostic model for ESCC patients in both surgery-only and neoadjuvant therapy cohorts.

Citation:
Zhang C, Bai R, Hu Y, ……. Wang T. Heterogeneity and distribution characteristics of tertiary lymphoid structures predict prognostic outcome in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Frontiers in Immunology. 2025;16.

Keywords:
N stage; TG; TR; esophageal cancer; heterogeneity; nr; prognosis their heterogeneity in esophageal squamous univariate analysis revealed that T stage; tertiary lymphoid structures

Abstract:
Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLSs) are ectopic lymphoid aggregates that form within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are increasingly recognized as potential prognostic biomarkers in various cancers. However, the spatial heterogeneity and prognostic value of TLSs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain poorly defined. This study aimed to characterize the spatial distribution patterns of TLSs and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and to establish a refined prognostic model for ESCC patients in both surgery-only and neoadjuvant therapy cohorts.