An N, Wang H, Jia W, Jing W, Liu C, Zhu H, Yu J. The prognostic role of circulating CD8
+ T cell proliferation in patients with untreated extensive stage small cell lung cancer.
J Transl Med 2019;
17:402. [PMID:
31796037 PMCID:
PMC6892179 DOI:
10.1186/s12967-019-02160-7]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Immunosuppression caused by tumorigenesis may promote tumor progress and invasion. Here, we investigated whether the characteristics of circulating T lymphocyte subtypes in patients with extensive small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC) can be used as an alternative marker of tumor progression.
METHODS
This study included 36 newly diagnosed ED-SCLC patients before treatment and the patients were followed up. 22 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers were selected as control. The percentages and proliferation potential of T lymphocyte subpopulations from peripheral blood were measured.
RESULTS
CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) were elevated in ED-SCLC patients compared with healthy controls (p = 0.0083). In contrast, the percentages of CD3+ and CD3+CD4+ T cells were significantly lower in SCLC patients (p < 0.001; p = 0.0014). The proliferation (%divided) of CD8+ T cells of SCLC patients was suppressed compared with healthy controls (p = 0.0058), but not of CD4+ T cells (p = 0.1611). Multivariate analyses showed that the %divided of CD8+ T cells is an independent predictor for PFS (HR: 4.342, 95% CI 1.324-14.245; p = 0.015). The percentages of peripheral Tregs and the degree of chemotherapy or radiotherapy induced lymphopenia negatively correlated with the proliferation of CD8+ T cells (p = 0.0225, r = - 0.379; p = 0.0003, r = - 0.464).
CONCLUSION
The present study indicates that SCLC patients have impaired immunity in peripheral blood, and the proliferation potential of circulating CD8+ T cells is a significant predicator for PFS.
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