Artificial intelligence for quantifying immune infiltrates interacting with stroma in colorectal cancer

作者:Yang, Jing; Ye, Huifen; Fan, Xinjuan; Li, Yajun; Wu, Xiaomei; Zhao, Minning; Hu, Qingru; Ye, Yunrui; Wu, Lin; Li, Zhenhui; Zhang, Xueli; Liang, Changhong; Wang, Yingyi; Xu, Yao; Li, Qian; Yao, Su*; You, Dingyun*; Zhao, Ke*; Liu, Zaiyi*
来源:Journal of Translational Medicine, 2022, 20(1): 451.
DOI:10.1186/s12967-022-03666-3

摘要

Background We proposed an artificial intelligence-based immune index, Deep-immune score, quantifying the infiltration of immune cells interacting with the tumor stroma in hematoxylin and eosin-stained whole-slide images of colorectal cancer. Methods A total of 1010 colorectal cancer patients from three centers were enrolled in this retrospective study, divided into a primary (N = 544) and a validation cohort (N = 466). We proposed the Deep-immune score, which reflected both tumor stroma proportion and the infiltration of immune cells in the stroma region. We further analyzed the correlation between the score and CD3(+) T cells density in the stroma region using immunohistochemistry-stained whole-slide images. Survival analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model, and the endpoint of the event was the overall survival. Result Patients were classified into 4-level score groups (score 1-4). A high Deep-immune score was associated with a high level of CD3(+) T cells infiltration in the stroma region. In the primary cohort, survival analysis showed a significant difference in 5-year survival rates between score 4 and score 1 groups: 87.4% vs. 58.2% (Hazard ratio for score 4 vs. score 1 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.48, P < 0.001). Similar trends were observed in the validation cohort (89.8% vs. 67.0%; 0.31, 0.15-0.62, < 0.001). Stratified analysis showed that the Deep-immune score could distinguish high-risk and low-risk patients in stage II colorectal cancer (P = 0.018). Conclusion The proposed Deep-immune score quantified by artificial intelligence can reflect the immune status of patients with colorectal cancer and is associate with favorable survival. This digital pathology-based finding might advocate change in risk stratification and consequent precision medicine.

  • 单位
    广东省心血管病研究所; 南方医科大学; 6; 广东省人民医院; 中山大学