Our results demonstrated that a high density of TILs, CD3+ TILs, CD4+ TILs, CD8+ TILs and CD20+ TILs in the TN are favourable prognostic biomarkers for patients with NSCLC, and a high density of Foxp3+ TILs in the TN is a poor prognostic biomarker. Here, CD4 is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.