Carson WE, Shapiro CL, Crespin TR, Thornton LM, Andersen BL. Cellular immunity in breast cancer patients completing taxane treatment.
Clin Cancer Res 2004;
10:3401-9. [PMID:
15161695 DOI:
10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-1016-03]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE
A field study of postchemotherapy immune functioning relative to the use of taxanes is reported. Immune responses in breast cancer patients were analyzed as a function of whether patients received taxane as part of their adjuvant chemotherapy.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Immune levels of 227 stage II/III breast cancer patients were measured immediately after surgery prior to chemotherapy and again 12 months later when all chemotherapies had been completed. T-cell blastogenesis and natural killer (NK) cell lysis levels of patients receiving taxanes (n = 55) were compared with levels of patients not receiving taxanes (n = 172).
RESULTS
Regression analyses were conducted. The administration of taxane as part of combination chemotherapy predicted increased T-cell blastogenesis and NK cell cytotoxicity after the conclusion of all chemotherapies. For the Taxane group, average phytohemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis was 37% higher and NK cell cytotoxicity was 39% higher than the values for the No-Taxane group.
CONCLUSIONS
Data from group comparisons with appropriate controls in a sizable clinical sample contravene traditional wisdom that taxanes suppress patients' immune cell functions. Problems in generalizing direct-contact laboratory models to the field of cancer treatment are highlighted.
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