Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies
| Author | Year | Country | Types | Patients(n) | Stage | Enrollment period | Follow-up time | Laboratory | Estimate TLS criteria | Cut-off criteria | Metastases | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deguchi S [29] | 2022 | Japan | ESCC | 236 | 0-IVa | 2014 | median:51.0 month | HE、IHC | GC-TLS density | High vs. Low | No | RFS |
| Li RT [30] | 2022 | China | ESCC | 122 | I-IV | 2017.1–2018.12 | More than 2 years | HE、IHC | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | No | OS, DFS |
| Ling YH [31] | 2022 | China | ESCC | 394 | I-III | 2008–2017 | Median:68.57 month | HE、IHC | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | No | OS, DFS |
| Jiang Q [32] | 2022 | China | GC | 292 | I-IV | 1983–2016 | Until 2020.1 | HE、IHC | Mature TLS | High vs. Low | Yes | OS |
| Kemi N [33] | 2022 | Finland | GC | 721 | I-IV | 2002–2008 | Median: 28.0 month | HE | TLS diameter | High vs. Low | NA | OS |
| Zhan Z [34] | 2022 | China | CRC | 203 | I-IV | 2014.01–2017.07 | Median: 50.0 month | IHC | TLS | High vs. None or Low | Yes | OS, DFS |
| Li JH [35] | 2022 | China | HCC | 150 | I-IV | 2014–2018 | Until 2020.12.30 | HE、IHC、IF | TLS | Positive vs. Negative | Yes | RFS |
| Nie Y [36] | 2022 | China | HCC | 145 | 0-C | 2015–2017 | More than 2 years | HE、IHC | TLS Grade | GradeB + C vs. Absence | Yes | OS |
| Wen SD [37] | 2022 | China | HCC | 126 | A-C | 2013.04–2019.08 | Median: 40.0 month | HE、IHC、IF | TLS density | High vs. Low | Yes | OS |
| Yu JS [38] | 2022 | China | GC | 118 | I-III | 2009–2014 | Until 2019.05 | IHC | TLS | High vs. Low | No | OS, DFS |
| Cheng N [39] | 2021 | China | GC | 846 | I-IV | 2008.12–2019.06 | Mean: 22.1 month | HE、IHC | TLS | Absent vs. Present | NA | OS |
| Yamakoshi Y [40] | 2021 | Japan | GC | 199 | Ib-IV | 2006–2008 | Median: 49.0 month | IHC | TLS (B cell density) | Low vs. High | No | OS |
| Gunderson AJ [41] | 2021 | America | PC | 63 | I-III | NA | NA | HE、IHC | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | No | OS |
| Mori T [42] | 2021 | Japan | GC | 261 | I-IV | 2014–2017 | NA | IHC | TLS | High vs. Low | Yes | OS |
| Zhao YY [43] | 2020 | China | ESCC | 593 | T1 | 2009–2018 | Median: 42.0 month | HE | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | No | OS |
| He WT [44] | 2020 | China | GC | 914 | I-III | 2009–2014 | Until 2018.1 | HE | TLS-SUM | High vs. Low | No | OS |
| Li Q [45] | 2020 | China | GC | 63 | I-III | 2001.01–2013.12 | Until 2011.11.30 | HE | Number of TLS | High vs. Low | No | OS |
| Li H [46] | 2020 | China | HCC | 303 | I-IV | 2009.03–2013.8 | Median: 61.3 month | HE、IHC | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | Yes | OS, RFS |
| Zhang WH [47] | 2020 | China | PC | 182 | I-III | 2006–2018 | Median: 60.0 month | HE、IHC | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | No | OS, RFS |
| Shota K [48] | 2019 | Japan | PC | 47 | 0-IV | 2009.1–2015.12 | Median:24.98 month | IHC | TLO density | High vs. Low | Yes | OS |
| Calderaro J [22] | 2018 | France | HCC | 273 | B-C | 1995–2016 | 2 years after surgery | HE | TLS | Presence vs. Absence | Yes | RFS |
| Posch F [20] | 2017 | Austria | CRC | 109 | II-III | 1996.01–2011.06 | 3 years | IF | Number of TLS | < Q1 vs. ≥ Q1 | No | RFS |
| Schweiger T [49] | 2016 | Austria | CRC | 57 | I-IV | 2009.04–2014.06 | Median: 30.0 month | IHC | TLS | Presence vs. Not present | Yes | OS, RFS |
| Hiraoka N [50] | 2015 | Japan | PC | 308 | Ia-IV | 1990–2004 | Median: 17.6 month | HE、IHC | TLO | Absence vs. Presence | Yes | OS, DFS |
| Di Caro G [51] | 2014 | Italy | CRC | 185 | II-III | 1997.01–2005.11 | 4.71 years | IHC | TLT | < Median vs. ≥ Median | No | RFS |
Abbreviations: ESCC esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, CRC colorectal cancer, GC gastric cancer, HCC hepatocellular carcinoma, PC pancreatic cancer, HE hematoxylin eosin staining, IHC immunohistochemistry, IF immunofluorescence, OS overall survival, RFS relapse-free survival, DFS disease-free survival, TLS tertiary lymphoid structure, iTLS intratumoral tertiary lymphoid structure, TLO tertiary lymphoid organ, GC-TLS germinal center tertiary lymphoid structure, NA not available