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Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy
Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 10/2003

01-10-2003 | Original Article

Lymphocyte subsets and T h 1/T h 2 immune responses in patients with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction: relation to pTNM stage and clinical outcome

Authors: Johanna W. van Sandick, Marja A. Boermeester, Suzanne S. Gisbertz, Ineke J. M. ten Berge, Theo A. Out, Tineke C. T. M. van der Pouw Kraan, J. Jan B. van Lanschot

Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy | Issue 10/2003

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Abstract

Introduction

Recent studies have indicated that the cytokines produced by CD4+ T helper type 1 (T h 1) and type 2 (T h 2) cells are critically important in antitumour immunity and perhaps clinical outcome. From this perspective, we investigated the immunocompetence of patients with previously untreated cancer of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction (OGJ) in relation to stage of disease and postoperative survival.

Methods

Blood samples were taken prior to surgery from 32 patients with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or OGJ. Ten healthy volunteers served as normal controls. T-cell and monocyte subpopulations were determined using flow cytometry. Monocyte as well as T h 1- and T h 2-lymphocyte cytokine levels were assessed in stimulated whole blood cultures.

Results

Absolute T-cell and monocyte (subset) counts as well as monocyte cytokine levels were similar among patients and controls. Production of T h 1-type cytokines was higher in patients than in controls (IFN-γ, p=0.01; IL-2, p=0.05), whereas T h 2-type cytokine levels were comparable (IL-4, p=0.5; IL-13, p=0.3). T-cell CD4+/CD8+ ratios decreased as pTNM stage worsened (stage I/II vs stage III/IV, p=0.009). Of all measured immunological parameters, only IL-2 production significantly affected both overall survival (p=0.015) and disease-free survival (p=0.0062). High IL-2 levels corresponded with a favourable prognosis.

Conclusions

Patients awaiting surgery for adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction demonstrated a shift in the T h 1/T h 2 balance—in favour of T h 1—compared with healthy volunteers. The ability of T cells to produce IL-2 was related to survival indicating a crucial role of T h 1-type cells in antitumour immunosurveillance.
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Metadata
Title
Lymphocyte subsets and T h 1/T h 2 immune responses in patients with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction: relation to pTNM stage and clinical outcome
Authors
Johanna W. van Sandick
Marja A. Boermeester
Suzanne S. Gisbertz
Ineke J. M. ten Berge
Theo A. Out
Tineke C. T. M. van der Pouw Kraan
J. Jan B. van Lanschot
Publication date
01-10-2003
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy / Issue 10/2003
Print ISSN: 0340-7004
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0851
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-003-0406-7

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