Fig. 3: Correlation of immune contexture and survival using immunohistochemistry.

a Comparison of infiltration density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) according to the survival outcomes in the anorectal malignant melanoma (ARMM) patients. The density of the total TILs (sum of CD3-, CD8-, and Foxp3-positive cells), CD3-, and Foxp3-positive T cells are significantly higher abundant in the surviving group. b Correlation of immune contexture-related variables (CD3, CD8, Foxp3, CD68, and CD163) and outcomes (surviving, deceased, nonrecurrent, recurrent) of the patients with ARMM. Dark navy and yellow indicates negative and positive correlation, respectively. Strong negative correlations are shown in the pairs of deceased patients and intratumoral CD3+ (CD3i), Foxp3+ (Foxp3i), stromal CD8+ (CD8s) and both intratumoral and stromal Foxp3+ (Foxp3) T cells in tumor center (TC) (Left panels). Similarly, strong negative correlations are shown in the pairs of deceased patients and CD3i, intratumoral CD68 + (CD68i), CD163+ (CD163i), stromal CD3+ (CD3s), Foxp3+ (Foxp3s), and both CD3+ (CD3) T cells in invasion front (IF). Furthermore, strongly negative correlations (dark navy) are also shown in pairs of recurrent patients and stromal CD68+ (CD68s) macrophage in TC, and Foxp3i, CD68i, CD3s, Foxp3s, CD68s, both intratumoral and stromal CD3+ (CD3) T cells and CD68+ (CD68) macrophage in IF. c Comparison of recurrent/deceased ARMM patient group and nonrecurrent/surviving group using recurrence prediction model (RPM) and death prediction model (DPM). Mann–Whitney U statistics for the nonrecurrent and recurrent groups yielded a P value of <0.0001 and that between the alive and dead groups a P value of <0.0001.