Spatial distribution of tertiary lymphoid structures in the molecular and clinical context of non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are lymphocyte aggregates resembling secondary lymphoid organs and are pivotal in cancer immunity. The ambiguous morphological definition of TLS makes it challenging to ascertain their clinical impact on patient survival and response to immunotherapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize TLS in hematoxylin-eosin tissue sections from lung cancer patients, assessing their occurrence in relation to the local immune environment, mutational background, and patient outcome.