Comparison of Cd3+ Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Expression Between Oral and Lip Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Association With Histopathological Parameters Publisher



Bagheri Shirvan S ; Alahkhani N ; Kamyab K ; Mohtasham N ; Javanrashid A ; Mohajertehran F
Source: Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Published:2025

Abstract

The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly influences cancer behavior. Cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3+) activates T cells and is crucial for immune surveillance. Lip squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is generally less aggressive than oral SCC, but differences in their TME remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the differences in CD3 + T cell percentages in the TME between these two cancers. A total of 107 tissue samples were collected, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), lip SCC, and normal margin tissues. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect CD3 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Histopathological parameters such as grading, invasive front (IF), depth of invasion (DOI), muscular invasion, vascular invasion, and neural invasion were assessed by pathologists. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and non-parametric statistical tests were applied. A P-value < 0.05 considered significant. CD3 + expression levels did not significantly differ between OSCC and lip SCC (P > 0.05). However, both lip SCC (P = 0.013) and OSCC (P = 0.000) showed higher CD3 + staining percentages compared to control tissues. In OSCC, CD3 + infiltration correlated with DOI (P = 0.010), while in lip SCC, it was associated with the invasive front (P = 0.020). No significant correlations were observed between CD3 + expression and other histopathological parameters. CD3 + levels were elevated in both cancers compared to normal tissue, indicating immune activity of CD3+. The associations with IF and DOI suggest that targeting CD3 + T cells may be a promising strategy for immunotherapy in these cancers. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.