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BMC Cancer

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Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Effect of surgery and radiotherapy on complete blood count, lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory response in patients with advanced oral cancer

Authors: Tadej Dovšak, Alojz Ihan, Vojko Didanovič, Andrej Kansky, Miha Verdenik, Nataša Ihan Hren

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2018

Abstract

Background

The immune system has a known role in the aetiology, progression and final treatment outcome of oral squamous cell cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of radical surgery and radiotherapy on advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma blood counts, lymphocyte subsets and levels of acute inflammatory response markers.

Methods

Blood samples were obtained from 56 patients 5 days before and 10 days after surgery, 30 days and 1 year after radiotherapy. The whole blood count, lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory response markers (C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocyte count, expression of index CD64 and index CD163 on neutrophils and monocytes) were measured, statistically analysed and correlated with clinical treatment outcomes.

Results

The post-operative period was characterised by the onset of anaemia, thrombocytosis, lymphopenia with reduced B lymphocyte, T helper cell and NK cell counts, and a rise in acute phase reactants. Immediately after radiotherapy, the anaemia improved, the lymphopenia worsened, and thrombocyte levels returned to pre-treatment values. There was a drop in counts across the T and B cell lines, including a reduction in B lymphocytes, naïve and memory T cells with reduced CD4+ and CD8+ counts and a decreased CD4/CD8 ratio. One year after radiotherapy all the lymphocyte subsets remained depressed, the only exception being NK cells, whose levels returned to pre-treatment values.

Conclusions

We concluded that surgery resulted in a stronger acute phase response than radiotherapy, while radiotherapy caused a long-lasting reduction in lymphocyte counts. There was no correlation between any of the pre-treatment parameters and the clinical outcome.

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Title: Effect of surgery and radiotherapy on complete blood count, lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory response in patients with advanced oral cancer
Authors: Tadej Dovšak
Alojz Ihan
Vojko Didanovič
Andrej Kansky
Miha Verdenik
Nataša Ihan Hren
Publication date: 01-12-2018
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-018-4136-9

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