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Annals of Surgical Oncology
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 4/2007

01-04-2007 | Gastrointestinal Oncology

Low-dose Interleukin-2 Administered Pre-operatively to Patients with Gastric Cancer Activates Peripheral and Peritumoral Lymphocytes But Does Not Affect Prognosis

Authors: Giovanni Carlo Cesana, Fabrizio Romano, Gaia Piacentini, Marco Scotti, Ambrogio Brenna, Giorgio Bovo, Massimo Vaghi, Giacomo Aletti, Roberto Caprotti, Howard Kaufman, Franco Uggeri

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 4/2007

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Abstract

Background

There is evidence that cancer is immunogenic under certain situations. IL-2 is described to stimulate an effective antitumor immune response in vitro and in vivo. The ability of cancer patients to undergo surgical resection is still the most important prognostic factor for many solid tumors, including gastric adenocarcinoma. The host immune system may be further compromised by surgical procedures leading to a generalized state of immunodepression in the post-operative period. The aim of this randomized case–control study is to evaluate the effects of pre-operative low-dose IL-2 treatment on patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who undergo surgery.

Methods

Sixty-eight patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were enrolled in the study and randomized in two groups: 36 patients were pre-treated with IL-2 and 32 underwent surgery without any treatment. Total peripheral WBC, neutrophils, CD3+ T, CD4+ T, CD8+ T and NK cells were obtained before and after surgery, at different times. Peritumoral infiltration was analyzed on all surgical specimens. Overall survival and relapse-free survival were studied with a median follow-up of 51 months.

Results

Low-dose IL-2 treatment resulted in an increase peritumoral lymphocytic and eosinophilic infiltrations and in a minor decrease in CD3+ T and CD4+ T cells after surgery (P < 0.05). A stepwise multivariate analysis revealed that overall survival and relapse-free survival were affected only by stage of tumor and age of patients.

Conclusions

According to our data low-doses of IL-2 administered pre-operatively to patients with gastric cancer activate peripheral and peri-tumoral lymphocytes but did not affect prognosis.
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Metadata
Title
Low-dose Interleukin-2 Administered Pre-operatively to Patients with Gastric Cancer Activates Peripheral and Peritumoral Lymphocytes But Does Not Affect Prognosis
Authors
Giovanni Carlo Cesana
Fabrizio Romano
Gaia Piacentini
Marco Scotti
Ambrogio Brenna
Giorgio Bovo
Massimo Vaghi
Giacomo Aletti
Roberto Caprotti
Howard Kaufman
Franco Uggeri
Publication date
01-04-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 4/2007
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-006-9239-x

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