Evaluation of lymphocyte immunity in breast cancer patients

Abstract

One hundred forty-two breast cancer patients were evaluated for three functional immunologic parameters: the ability of their lymphocytes to proliferate in response to general T-(phytohemagglutinin) and B-lymphocyte (pokeweed mitogen) stimulators and their ability to proliferate in response to specific autologous tumor antigens. Tests were performed on patient blood specimens collected approximately 2 hours prior to surgery or 2-4 weeks following chemotherapy. T-lymphocyte functional competence was impaired in 83/142 (58%) of the patients, while B-lymphocyte competence was impaired in 34/142 (24%) of these patients. A total of 21/52 (40%) of the patients had lymphocyte immunity against autologous tumor antigen. There were weak associations between the ability of patients' T- and B-lymphocytes to function normally, and their ability to respond to autologous tumor-antigen. There was no relationship of age, tumor burden (clinical or pathological tumor size), extension to skin and/or muscle, or metastasis to any of the three immunological parameters. A relationship (p = 0.0463) between T-lymphocyte competence and pathological nodal status was observed; individuals that were node positive for disease, tended to have impaired T-lymphocyte function. When evaluating T- and B-lymphocyte competence and lymphocytic immunity against tumor antigen in pre- and post-chemotherapy patients, an immunologic rebound (increase in immune parameters shortly after completion of chemotherapy) was observed in some patients. These results demonstrate the utility of measuring these immune parameters in breast cancer patients, their relevance to the natural biology of the disease, and the influence that chemotherapy may have on host immune function.

Immune Effects of Relaxation during Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

“…It was earlier argued for the importance of monitoring and possible enhancement of peripheral blood immune variables like lymphocytes and mono cytes, since these correlated with prognosis in solid tumor patients [41 ]. Subsequent authors have found inconsistent results concerning the relation between immune variables and disease outcome in cancer patients [42][43][44][45]. How ever, the myelosuppression associated with aggressive cancer therapy sets limits for drug dosage, and is probably connected to the changed pattern of infections observed in cancer patients [22], Solomon [46] recognized that most behavioral intervention studies that produced im provements in immunologically related diseases have generally lacked immunologic measures.…”

Breast cancer among HIV-infected patients: The experience of the European Institute of Oncology

“…The apparent deficit of breast cancer among females in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, including 2,058 seropositive women, was explained by their overall lower risk (lower social class, early age at first childbirth, high parity, and low alcohol intake) [9]. Furthermore, one cannot entirely eliminate the possibility that immunodeficiency may protect HIV-infected persons from developing breast cancer [10,11]. Analyses of cancer incidence in chronically immunosuppressed transplant recipients have demonstrated a similar unexpected low incidence of breast cancer relative to other malignancies [12].…”

Immunohistochemical localization of CD1a-positive putative dendritic cells in human breast tumours

“…The phenotype of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in solid tumours, including breast tumours, has been well documented using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies on frozen and paraffin tissue sections (Feradini et al, 1993;Head et al, 1993). Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs), whose role is to capture and process antigen via the MHC II pathway for presentation to CD4 + T cells.…”