Correlation Between TILs and Blood Cell Counts in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients

PERCEPTION Trial Protocol: Comparison of Predictive and Prognostic Capacities of Neutrophil, Lymphocyte and Platelet Counts and Tumour-infiltrating Lymphocytes in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

The PERCEPTION study aims to assess the correlation between blood cell counts (Leucocytes, Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Platelets, NLR (Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio) and PLR (Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio)) and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs), at baseline and after surgery, for patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. It also aims to assess these circulating elements and circulating tumor DNA as predictive factor of metastatic recurrence in triple negative breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive type of breast cancer. Because of the limited therapeutical strategies, early TNBC relapses are quite common during the five years following treatment.

It has been shown that the presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) at baseline is related to good pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In addition, the presence of a high quantity of TILs in the residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is related to better survival rates.

Blood circulating elements, such as peripheral blood cells or circulating tumor DNA, could be of interest in predicting response to treatment and in the prediction of metastatic recurrences in different types of cancer, including breast cancer.

However, the correlation of these markers in triple negative breast cancer has not yet been thoroughly studied.

The PERCEPTION study aims to assess the correlation between blood cell counts (Leucocytes, Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Platelets, NLR (Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio) and PLR (Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio)) and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs), at baseline and after surgery, for patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. It also aims to assess these circulating elements and circulating tumor DNA as predictive factor of metastatic recurrence in triple negative breast cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female
• Age > 18 years
• Diagnosed with primitive, non-metastatic, histologically proved, triple negative breast cancer
• Patient treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy
• Patient able to understand the French language
• Patient affiliated to social security
• Obtaining signed written consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Male
• Unavailable tumoral samples before inclusion
• Unavailable blood test results at baseline, before inclusion