title: Impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on spontaneous and poke week mitogen triggered immunoglobulin secretion of blood lymphocytes in operable breast cancer.
abstract: The objective of this investigation was to examine further the influence of postoperative adjuvant treatment with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) on the immune system in breast cancer patients and to explore whether such changes are related to prognosis. The 12 CMF courses which were given for a period of 1 year resulted in a progressive lymphopenia. The relative spontaneous secretions of IgA and IgG in vitro increased 4- and 2-fold respectively after the first 3 courses, whereas IgM secretion was unaffected. IgA and IgG secretions in PWM stimulated cultures were not changed, whereas there was a sharp decrease of IgM. The CMF-induced changes of Ig-secretions were similar in patients who developed recurrent disease during a 4-6 year follow-up (n = 11) and those who remained clinically disease-free (n = 14). The results are discussed in relation to the immunopotentiation which may occur following treatment with relatively low doses of chemotherapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blomgren
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wasserman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rotstein
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Petrini
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: von Stedingk
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate