Clinical Significance of Composition Changes in T-cell Subpopulations After Chemotherapy in Patients With Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Background/Aim: New therapeutic agents and prognostic biomarkers for gastric cancer are needed. We analyzed the composition of peripheral blood T-cell subpopulations in response to chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer. Patients and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients diagnosed with gastric cancer before and after chemotherapy (FOLFOX; oxaliplatin, and leucovorin). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated. Patients were divided into responder (n=5) and non-responder groups (n=2) based on their chemotherapy outcomes. Results: Non-responders showed lower numbers of CD4+/total cells and CD8+/total cells after chemotherapy compared to the responder group, but the difference was not significant (p=0.905, p=0.095). Naïve T, central memory T, effector memory T and effector T-cell counts differed in both groups after chemotherapy. Conclusion: Changes in peripheral T-cell subpopulations after chemotherapy were confirmed in patients with gastric cancer, which may be a prognostic predictor and development of therapeutic agents.

The effects of aging, sex, and tumor burden on the peripheral blood immune cell profile and absolute counts

“…Investigations into alterations in the numbers and proportions of PBMC cells between tumor patients and healthy individuals have already started 34 - 36 . Studies have shown that the presence of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes is associated with favorable patient prognosis while the presence of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) and macrophages is adversely correlated with survival outcomes 37 . Circulating NK cells and monocytes in the peripheral blood can also be used as indicators of the likelihood of progression-free survival and overall survival 32 , 38 .…”