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Autori/ Authors: Jozef Muri       Adéla Vrbenská        Jozef Škarda        Kvetoslava Rimárová        Klaudia Kráľová      Markéta Pravdová

In: Zdravotnícke štúdie

ISSN: 1337-723X

Ročník/ Volume: XVIII

Číslo/ Issue: 2

Strany/ Page Range: 46-51

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: English

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract:
Úvod/ Introduction: Tumor-associated macrophages (TA Ms) are important components of the tumor microenvironment and may influence tumor progression and clinical outcomes. However, the prognostic significance of their spatial distribution and associated immunohistochemical markers in lung adenocarcinoma remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to characterize the distribution of CD68-positive and CD163-positive cells in tumor nests and surrounding stroma and to explore their associations with histological grade and overall survival.
Metodika/ Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 25 male patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection. CD68 and CD163 expression was assessed immunohistochemically in tumor nests and surrounding stroma. Associations with histological grade and overall survival were explored using descriptive statistics and survival analysis, including the Kaplan–Meier method.
Výsledky/ Results: The difference in survival across histological grade groups was not statistically significant (log-rank p = 0.539). Higher CD68 expression was associated with numerically higher estimated hazards of death in tumor nests (HR = 2.70, 95% CI 0.66–11.00; p = 0.118) and stroma (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 0.53–7.27; p = 0.219), although neither association reached statistical significance. Among patients alive at the last followup, the mean percentages of CD68-positive and CD163-positive cells were 11.9% and 6.9% in tumor nests and 18.1% and 18.8% in stroma, respectively. Among deceased patients, the corresponding values were 7.2% and 8.9% in tumor nests and 11.1% and 12.2% in stroma. These descriptive differences do not establish independent prognostic associations or demonstrate functional macrophage polarization.
Záver/ Conclusion: This study identified descriptive differences in the spatial distribution of CD68-positive and CD163-positive cells in lung adenocarcinoma. However, no statistically significant association between CD68 expression and overall survival was demonstrated, and the independent prognostic value of CD163 could not be established. Given the small sample size and retrospective study design, these findings should be considered preliminary. Larger studies using standardized spatial quantification, additional macrophage markers, and appropriately designed survival analyses are needed to validate these observations.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords:  CD68. CD163. Lung adenocarcinoma. Non-small-cell lung cancer. Tumor-associated macrophages. Tumor microenvironment.

Citácia/ How to cite:
MURI, Jozef, 2026. Comparative analysis of CD68 and CD163 expression in lung adenocarcinoma: Preliminary study. Zdravotnícke štúdie. Online. Roč. XVIII, č. 2, s. 46-51. ISSN 1337-723X. Dostupné na: 

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.