The association between tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and metastatic course in neuroendocrine neoplasms

A moderate lymphocytic infiltration was found in about 25% of these well-differentiated neoplasms, all of which had no distant metastases to liver or pulmonary hilar lymph nodes during a follow-up period >10 years; mild or absent lymphocytic infiltrates have been observed in those cases with metastatic spread, discovered synchronously or after follow-up of 10 years (P < 0.5).