Changes of blood T cell subsets in patients receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
The number of T helper (Th) and T suppressor (Ts) cells, as defined by monoclonal antibodies, of the blood lymphocyte population was examined in breast cancer patients receiving postoperative cyclic therapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil. The total number of lymphocytes was reduced to approximately 50% at the end of the 17-month period of chemotherapy. Identification of Th and Ts subsets with the aid of Leu-3a and Leu-2a antibodies revealed that the former was reduced to a higher relative extent than the latter, thus reducing the Th/Ts ratio highly significantly during the entire treatment period. A reduced ratio was also observed in a group of patients having completed their treatment 2-3 yr earlier.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate