Lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with breast cancer after postoperative radiotherapy

Abstract

The effects of radiotherapy on the immune competence of patients with mammary cancer was studied using enumeration of the various lymphocyte subpopulations as detected by monoclonal OKT antisera, lymphocyte proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, purified protein derivative to tuberculin (PPD), and serum immunoglobulin levels. The tests were carried out in nine patients with newly diagnosed and operated mammary cancer before and after the radiation therapy, and 6 months later, and in ten patients whose mammary cancer had been diagnosed and treated at least 3 years earlier and who had remained tumor‐free. The number of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and the various T‐cell subpopulations as well as the OKIa1 cells mostly representing B‐cells decreased. The only population increasing were the OKM1‐positive cells, mostly representing monocytes and null cells. As also described earlier, the responses to mitogens decreased because of the radiotherapy but recovered, except for the responses to PPD which remained low.

Blood lymphocyte subsets after the first fraction in patients given hyperfractionated total body irradiation for bone marrow transplantation

“…In our study all lymphocyte subsets appeared to be equally sensitive to the in vivo radiation (Table I). These findings contradict many previous in vivo studies (Job et al, 1984;Kotzin et al, 1983;Petrini et al, 1977;Posner et al, 1983;Schulof et al, 1985;Toivanen et al, 1984;Idestrom et al, 1979). This discrepancy could be explained by two facts.…”

Long-term changes in blood counts after intraoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer—single center experience and review of the literature

“…In other studies, leucocyte counts were still decreased up to 5 years after radiotherapy (25,26,30,32). Additionally, the degree of decrease was shown to be dependent on the delivered dose as well as simultaneous chemotherapy (2,29).…”

Is It Possible to Predict the Outcome of Radiation Therapy of Head and Neck Cancer?

“…Nordman et al (7) studied the immunosuppressive effect of radio-and chemotherapy but found no correlation between immunosuppression (determined with mitogen response to PHA, Con A and PPD) and the long-term survival of the patients with some common cancer forms. After postoperative irradiation of breast cancer patients an obvious decrease in the mitogen responses was detected, but there was no significant difference between patients with and without recurrence (8). In gastrointestinal cancer, however, a correlation was found between immune functions and survival.…”