Prognostic value and predictive biomarkers of synergistic interaction between tumor‑associated macrophages and cancer stem cells in colorectal cancer

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Emerging studies indicate active crosstalk between CSCs and TAMs within the tumor microenvironment. However, the prognostic implications of integrating CSC- and TAM-associated markers for risk stratification remain incompletely defined in CRC. Expression levels of CD86, CD163, CD44 and CD133 were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Pearson s chi-square test was employed to analyze correlations between marker expression and clinicopathological parameters. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to determine survival differences and identify potential prognostic factors. Variables achieving statistical significance (P