title: Local and systemic eosinophilia in patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix undergoing radiation therapy: correlation with radiation response.
abstract: Forty-nine patients with squamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix undergoing supervoltage 60Co radiotherapy were investigated to determine the significance of quantitation of eosinophils in the tumour tissue as well as in blood. The blood absolute eosinophil count (AEC) at presentation was higher in patients with Stages III and IV disease (0.52 +/- 0.09 x 10(9)/l, mean +/- SEM) when compared with early stages (Stages I and II, 0.35 +/- 0.07 x 10(9)/l). Forty-four patients (90%) showed a steady rise in AEC during the course of therapy. The patients showing good radiation response (n = 13, greater than or equal to 50% regression), displayed a more pronounced rise in AEC during the course of radiotherapy (0.66 +/- 0.24 x 10(9)/l) and had more eosinophils in the tumour tissue (7.4 +/- 0.66/oil immersion field) than the poor responders (n = 36, less than 50% regression, rise in eosinophil count 0.22 +/- 0.04 x 10(9)/l, eosinophils in tumour tissue 2.9 +/- 0.55/oil emersion field, P less than 0.0001 for both parameters). We conclude that quantitation of eosinophils in blood and tumour tissue before and during radiotherapy in patients with squamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix is useful in predicting radiation response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Malakar
mesh_terms: D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes