LYMPHOCYTE SUBSET DISTRIBUTION AFTER COMBINED CHEMO- AND RADIOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH CANCER OF THE ORAL CAVITY, OROPHARYNX, AND LARYNGOPHARYNX

Abstract

Aim. To study the prognostic value of the lymphocyte subset distribution to predict the overall survival and its association with the clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment in patients with cancer of the oral cavity, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx. Materials and Methods. 44 patients were examined. Immunophenotyping of lymphocyte subsets was performed in peripheral blood samples using flow cytometry. The lymphocyte subset distribution was analyzed depending on the clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcome, as well as the overall survival. Results. The changes in CD3⁺ T-cells and CD3⁺57⁺ NKT counts were associated with the sex of the patients, TCRαβ⁺ T-cells — with the stage of the disease, CD4⁺8⁺T-cells and CD3^-16⁺57⁺ NK — with the tumor size and differentiation grade, and CD3⁺HLA^-DR⁺,CD8⁺ T-cells, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio — with lymph node involvement. The content of CD3⁺HLA^-DR⁺ and TCRαβ⁺ T-cells, CD3^-16⁺57⁺ NK, and CD3⁺57⁺ NKT differed in patients depending on the tumor location. There were changes in CD19⁺ and HLA^-DR⁺ B-cells, CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺25⁺ and TCRαβ⁺ T-cells, CD3^-CD16⁺57⁺ NK, and CD3⁺57⁺ NKT during treatment, with the most pronounced changes after the first stage of RT. The relative number of CD3⁺HLA^-DR⁺ and tumor size T4 influenced the overall survival of patients ((HR = 0.798, 95% CI, 0.658—0.967, p = 0.021) and (HR = 3.015, 95% CI, 1.303—6.975, p = 0.009), respectively). Conclusion. Parameters of lymphocyte subsets can be promising prognostic markers.