RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: The subset of T-cells positive for expression of cluster of differentiation (CD) 57 has been associated with various cancer phenotypes. However, the presence of CD57(+) T-cells in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has yet to be confirmed. In the present study, we examined the diagnostic significance of the presence of CD57(+) T-cells in peripheral blood (PB) from patients with OSCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subset of CD57(+) T-cells in PB was analyzed in 43 patients with OSCC by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of CD57(+) T-cells, including both CD8(+) and CD4(+) subsets, significantly increased with clinical stage, especially in parallel with tumor size. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that an increase in the population of CD57(+) T-cells is a potent prognostic marker and may also influence the systemic immunity of patients with OSCC.