Spatial organization of the tumor immune microenvironment in LAR+ triple-negative breast cancer - Summary - MDSpire

Spatial organization of the tumor immune microenvironment in LAR+ triple-negative breast cancer

  • By

  • Donatella Lucchetti

  • Alba Di Leone

  • Giulia Sabbatinelli

  • Federica Toma

  • Franco Antonio

  • Beatrice Cellini

  • Filomena Colella

  • Erica Pazzaglia

  • Chiara Parrillo

  • Luciano Giacó

  • Angela Santoro

  • Alessia Piermattei

  • Rita Colonna

  • Gianluca Franceschini

  • Alessandro Sgambato

  • May 22, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

Objective:

To characterize the immune microenvironment in LAR+ TNBC and explore its spatial organization and cellular composition in relation to treatment response.

Key Findings:
  • Patients achieving pCR had higher pre-treatment densities of immune subsets such as CD20+PD-1+, CD4+FOXP3+, and CD8+PD-1+TIM3+ cells.
  • Spatial analyses indicated that tumor cells in Responders were initially closer to PD-L1+ tumor cells, with proximity decreasing post-treatment.
  • In Non-Responders, immunosuppressive tumor cells moved closer to tumor cells after treatment.
  • Neoadjuvant therapy in Responders was associated with spatial repositioning of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells toward tumor cells.
Interpretation:

Distinct immune compositions and spatial arrangements in the TIME of LAR+ TNBC may correlate with different pathological outcomes, with persistent immunosuppressive niches in Non-Responders.

Limitations:
  • Small sample size limits generalizability of findings.
  • Inclusion of immune checkpoint inhibitors in a subset of patients achieving pCR may confound results.
Conclusion:

Findings indicate that immune enrichments and spatial remodeling patterns differ between pathological outcomes in LAR+ TNBC.

Original Source(s)

Spatial organization of the tumor immune microenvironment in LAR+ triple-negative breast cancer

  • by Donatella Lucchetti, Alba Di Leone, Giulia Sabbatinelli, Federica Toma, Franco Antonio, Beatrice Cellini, Filomena Colella, Erica Pazzaglia, Chiara Parrillo, Luciano Giacó, Angela Santoro, Alessia Piermattei, Rita Colonna, Gianluca Franceschini, Alessandro Sgambato

  • May 22, 2026

Related Content

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as a scalp tumor with skull destruction and neurological symptoms: a case report

Synthetic short RNA in cancer

Data requirements of an informative, directive, and preventive mobile health application for gastric cancer