Localization of dendritic cells and T cells within the tumor microenvironment in different types of skin cancer

T cells were detected across all tumor entities, displaying distinct spatial distribution patterns. DC were enriched intratumorally and within the epidermis, whereas T cells predominantly accumulated at the tumor margin (main effect of region, p < 0.001). Melanoma exhibited significantly fewer DC at the tumor margin while maintaining strong T cell infiltration. Overall, the immune architecture of skin tumors is highly compartmentalized, characterized by region-specific DC and T cell distributions. These findings underscore the relevance of spatial immune profiling for understanding immune escape mechanisms and informing immunotherapeutic strategies.