Gastric Cancer and Immunity: Reassessing the Immunoscore beyond Colorectal Cancer
John Zakhour, Maria Roumouz, Joe Chalhoub, Rita Haddad, Maria Njeim, Clara Njeim, Ghadi Dagher, Georgy Kattan, Vivianne Trak Smayra, Khalil Honein, Joseph Amara, Joseph Gharios, Carole Kesrouani, Hampig Raphael KourieAbstract
Context:
The prognostic value of the colorectal cancer (CRC)-derived Immunoscore (IS) in gastric cancer (GC) remains uncertain.
Aims:
To evaluate the feasibility and prognostic value of the CRC -derived IS in gastric adenocarcinoma and its association with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival (OS).
Settings and Design:
A retrospective, observational, single-center study was conducted at a tertiary care referral hospital in Lebanon.
Materials and Methods:
Thirty-one patients who underwent surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2017 and 2025 were included. Cluster of differentiation 3-positive and CD8 + immunohistochemistry was performed on surgical specimens. The IS was visually assessed using CRC-derived thresholds and classified as low (0–1), intermediate (2), or high (3–4). Associations with clinicopathological characteristics and OS were analyzed.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, independent-samples
Results:
The IS was predominantly low (64.5%), with a mean score of 1.4 ± 1.3. No significant associations were observed between the IS and clinicopathological characteristics or OS. However, Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated a consistent trend toward improved OS among patients with intermediate or high IS.
Conclusions:
The CRC-derived IS was feasible to apply in GC but was not significantly associated with OS. These findings support the development and validation of GC-specific IS thresholds and standardized assessment methods before routine clinical implementation.