Blood lymphocyte counts with subset analysis in operable breast cancer. Relation to the extent of tumor disease and prognosis
Open Access
- 15 September 1985
- Vol. 56 (6), 1413-1419
- https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0142(19850915)56:6<1413::aid-cncr2820560632>3.0.co;2-t
Abstract
Blood lymphocyte counts and various lymphocyte subsets, as defined by rosette tests, were examined in breast cancer patients and correlated to the extent of tumor disease and prognosis. One hundred sixty-six patients tested before or shortly after surgery were included. It was observed that the frequency of E-rosette-forming lymphocytes correlated to the development of distant metastases (P = 0.007) and survival (P = 0.022). A high frequency of E-rosette-forming cells was associated with a poor prognosis. The well-known prognostic value of clinical tumor stage and axillary lymph node involvement was also confirmed. A possible relation between the tumor disease and other immune variables was indicated by the finding that the frequency of EAC-rosette-forming lymphocytes (mainly B-cells) was reduced in patients with relatively large primary tumors. This relation was most pronounced in patients without axillary node involvement (P < 0.01). In addition, it was observed that the blood lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in patients with three or more tumor-involved axillary nodes than in those with zero to two (P < 0.005). Our results seem to stand in contrast to the generally held view that low lymphocyte counts and a low proportion of E-rosette-forming cells in the blood are associated with a large tumor burden and a poor prognosis.This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
- Peripheral lymphocyte and eosinophil counts as indicators of prognosis in primary breast cancerCancer, 2006
- Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Compared with Cyclic Chemotherapy in Patients with Mammary Carcinoma: I. Changes of blood lymphocyte subpopulationsActa Radiologica: Oncology, 1981
- T-cell markers in breast cancer patients at diagnosisClinical Immunology and Immunopathology, 1979
- Prognostic Relevance of Radiation Induced Immune Suppression in Breast CarcinomaActa Radiologica: Oncology, Radiation, Physics, Biology, 1979
- Prognostic Relevance of Immunologic Variables in Breast CarcinomaActa Radiologica: Therapy, Physics, Biology, 1977
- T AND B LYMPHOCYTES IN BREAST CANCER STAGE RELATIONSHIP AND ABROGATION OF T-LYMPHOCYTE DEPRESSION BY ENZYME TREATMENT IN VITROThe Lancet, 1976
- Blood Lymphocytes after Radiation Therapy of Mammary CarcinomaActa Radiologica: Therapy, Physics, Biology, 1974
- SURFACE MARKERS ON HUMAN T AND B LYMPHOCYTESThe Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1972
- Bone marrow origin of complement‐receptor lymphocytesEuropean Journal of Immunology, 1971
- A POPULATION OF LYMPHOCYTES BEARING A MEMBRANE RECEPTOR FOR ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY-COMPLEMENT COMPLEXESThe Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1970