The Prognostic Role of CD8 + Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Density in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma.

Cohort studyOtolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery· Jul 2026

The Prognostic Role of CD8 + Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Density in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma.

Nicholas K Fung, Douglas Hartman, Diwakar Davar, Eric W Wang

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Skin Cancer & MelanomaCohort studyPrognosisQ4IF 0.0

High CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte density linked to lower recurrence risk in mucosal melanoma

The Prognostic Role of CD8 + Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Density in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma.

Nicholas K Fung … Eric W Wang

Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery · Jul 2026

Purpose

To explore the prognostic role of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) density in head and neck mucosal melanoma (head and neck mucosal melanoma) using an automated, quantitative, immunohistochemistry-based methodology.

Methods

Single-institution, tertiary care hospital.

Results

high CD8+ T cell density cut recurrence risk sharply

HR 0.17 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.83)

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Thirty-four patients had adequate pathologic specimens available for analysis.

CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes density threshold of 373.6 cells/mm 2 best delineated patients based on survival outcomes.

More results

On log-rank testing, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes high patients trended toward improved 5-year recurrence-free survival (p = 0.06) and OS (p = 0.074) when compared to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes low patients.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Automated, digital CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes density enumeration is a reliable method of assessing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes density in head and neck mucosal melanoma patients.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

High CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes density is an independent factor associated with improved recurrence-free survival and trended toward improved OS.

The Prognostic Role of CD8 + Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Density in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma.

The Prognostic Role of CD8 + Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Density in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma.

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