Correlation and Heterogeneity of the Immune Microenvironment and Histopathological Growth Patterns in Resectable Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases (CRLM)

April 27, 2026 updated by: Meng Qiu
Correlation and Heterogeneity of the Immune Microenvironment and Histopathological Growth Patterns in Resectable Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study aims to retrospectively analyze the status and spatial heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in liver metastases from patients with CRLM, as well as the association between HGPs at the tumor-liver interface and postoperative recurrence following resection of liver metastases. Furthermore, this study seeks to explore the underlying mechanisms through which HGPs influence patient prognosis.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

64

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Sichuan
      • Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610041
        • West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This study enrolled patients with CRLM who underwent R0 resection.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with CRLM who underwent R0 resection
  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed CRLM
  • Have sufficient liver metastasis tissue specimens available for analysis
  • Complete treatment and follow-up records

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients did not undergo R0 resection
  • Postoperative specimens were unavailable
  • Clinical data were incomplete.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
patients with CRLM who underwent R0 resection
According to the 2017 guidelines on histopathological growth patterns of liver metastases, HGPs are primarily classified into three types: the desmoplastic histopathological growth pattern (dHGP), the replacement histopathological growth pattern (rHGP), and the pushing histopathological growth pattern (pHGP). The tumor-liver interface was independently delineated by two pathologists using QuPath software, and distinct HGPs at the tumor-liver interface were identified. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections of colorectal cancer liver metastases were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E).Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) staining was performed on FFPE sections of liver metastases using two panels (Panel 1: CD4, CD8A, Foxp3, PD-L1, Panck; Panel 2: CD68, CD163, FAP-α, α-SMA, Panck), encompassing a total of nine immune cell markers.
Other: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections of colorectal cancer liver metastases were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) staining.
Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections of colorectal cancer liver metastases were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) staining.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
OS(Overall survival)
Time Frame: OS is defined as the time from the date of the first liver metastasis resection to death due to any cause or loss to follow-up, assessed up to 100 months.
OS was defined as the time from the date of the first liver metastasis resection to death due to any cause or loss to follow-up.
OS is defined as the time from the date of the first liver metastasis resection to death due to any cause or loss to follow-up, assessed up to 100 months.
RFS (Recurrence-free Survival)
Time Frame: From the date of liver resection until the first occurrence of a measurable recurrence of the disease, or until death due to any cause (whichever occurs first), the assessment period can be up to 100 months.
The definition of recurrence-free survival is the time from the liver surgery to the first imaging evidence showing disease recurrence or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first.
From the date of liver resection until the first occurrence of a measurable recurrence of the disease, or until death due to any cause (whichever occurs first), the assessment period can be up to 100 months.
HGPs (Histopathological Growth Patterns)
Time Frame: From the completion of HE staining to the failure of staining or the damage and loss of the slides, the assessment period can be up to 100 months.
The histopathological growth pattern of the tumor-liver interface.
From the completion of HE staining to the failure of staining or the damage and loss of the slides, the assessment period can be up to 100 months.
TME (Tumor Microenvironment)
Time Frame: From the completion of mIHC staining to the failure of staining or the damage and loss of the slides, the assessment period can be up to 100 months.
Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) staining was performed on FFPE sections of liver metastases using two panels (Panel 1: CD4, CD8A, Foxp3, PD-L1, Panck; Panel 2: CD68, CD163, FAP-α, α-SMA, Panck), encompassing a total of nine immune cell markers. Using QuPath pathology imaging software, tissue sections were divided into the tumor center (defined as regions >500 μm from the liver-tumor interface) and the invasive tumor front (defined as a 1 mm region extending 500 μm on either side of the liver-tumor interface). Quantitative analysis of immune cell populations was performed in the tumor center, the invasive tumor front, and regions corresponding to different histopathological growth patterns.
From the completion of mIHC staining to the failure of staining or the damage and loss of the slides, the assessment period can be up to 100 months.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Meng Qiu

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2018

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 30, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 30, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 27, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Approval No. 2021, 2024

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

First of all, there is a lack of sufficient funds or personnel to anonymize and maintain the data for a long time, such as the original imaging documents, which are difficult to organize compliance. Second, this study was an early exploratory study with small data size and high risk of identification. Finally, summary results are available after publication, and the data will be reassessed 5 years after the end of the study.

Study Data/Documents

  1. Statistical Analysis Plan
    Information identifier: qiumeng@wchscu.cn
    Information comments: Survival analysis was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Quantitative data regarding the immune microenvironment were compared using the t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate. Changes between initial resection and secondary resection were analyzed using the nonparametric test for two paired samples. The endpoints of this study included patient clinical outcomes (OS and PFS), spatial distribution differences of immune cells within TME of liver metastases, distribution patterns of HGPs and their correlation with survival, and analysis of the immune microenvironment in relation to HGPs.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Colorectal Neoplasms

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Uruguay

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe