Analysis of serum T-lymphocyte subsets and NK cell activity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the alteration of T-lymphocyte subsets and NK activity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx.@*METHOD@#T-lymphocyte subsets and NK activity were determined by flow cytometry in 123 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx. Blood samples of 36 nontumor patients were used as control.@*RESULT@#The total T lymphocytes were lower in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx than control group significantly (P 0.05). On the other hand, the levels of suppressor lymphocytes in patients were higher than those in the control group (P 0.05), but NK activity in patients were lower than those in control group significantly (P 0.05). The levels of helper lymphocyte subsets in stage I-II patients were little higher than in stage III-IV patients (P > 0.05), but the levels of suppressor lymphocytes in stage I-II patients were lower than in stage III-IV patients (P 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The immune function in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx is disordered and lower. With advanced stage disease, not only the cellular immune function in patients decrease gradually, but also the humoral immunity is lower. Analyzing T-lymphocyte subsets and NK activity determined by flow cytometry would be easy and helpful to evaluate the immunologic condition of every patient.