The prognostic significance of peripheral lymphocyte counts in patients with breast carcinoma

Abstract

A retrospective study evaluating five-year survival rates in relation to pretreatment lymphocyte counts was undertaken in 453 patients with breast carcinoma. Patients with early tumor stages had higher pretreatment lymphocyte counts than those with advanced tumors: five-year survival in patients with pretreatment counts above 2000 per mm3 was 87% in Stage I, 67% in Stage II, and 57% in Stage III, while the comparable figures in patients with lower counts were 82%, 51%, and 29%. The differences in five-year survival rates for Stage II and III were significant: z equals 1.6955, p equals 0.046 and z equals 1.8841, p equals 0.03. Similar differences were noted in the disease-free, five-year survival rates. The corresponding figures in the three tumor stages for patients with counts above 2000/mm3 were 80%, 63%, and 53%, while those for patients with lower counts were 74%, 44%, and 18%. The differences in Stage II and III were also statistically significant: z equals 1.8430, p equals 0.33 and z equals 2.592, p equals 0.005 respectively. The possibility that the presence of suppressant factors related to the thymus may influence levels of lymphocytes was evaluated. Comparison of pre-thymectomy and postthymectomy lymphocyte counts in a control group of patients who had thymectomy for myasthenia gravis revealed a gradual increase of lymphocytes following thymectomy. The increase was significant at the second year following thymectomy. These observations indicate that lymphocyte counts may serve as prognostic indicators in patients with breast cancer. Low lymphocyte counts may be related to the presence of suppressor substances.

Effect of a 12-week walking exercise program on body composition and immune cell count in patients with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy

“…Although there were no discernable effects of stage 1 cancer on immune function, there was a gradual decline subsequently in stages 2 through 4, with a decrease in T-lymphocyte function in stage 2, in T-and B-lymphocyte function in stage 3, and an additional decrease in NK cell function in stage 4. Levels of lymphocyte and WBCs in patients with malignant tumors are predictive of outcomes, with high risk for recurrence and very low survival rate when levels fall below the normal range [50][51][52]. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can further decrease immune function through their targeted effect on T-and B-lymphocyte cells, which play an important role in acquired immunity.…”

Serum levels of inflammation‐related markers and metabolites predict response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with and without bevacizumab in breast cancers

“…Immune infiltration influences prognosis and response to therapies . Notably high CD8+ T cell counts associate with better overall survival in estrogen receptor (ER) negative breast cancer patients .…”

Lymphocytopenia as an independent predictor of early recurrence in breast cancer

“…The peripheral blood lymphocyte count has also been reported to have a positive association with 5 year survival and disease-free survival rates (Papatestas et al, 1976). Immune competence, measured by a summary score derived from in vitro lymphocyte function tests and in vivo cutaneous reactivity, has been related to prognosis though in this study the peripheral lymphocyte count was not found to have prognostic value (Adler et al, 1980).…”