title: T-lymphocyte subsets in patients with AJCC stage III gastric cancer during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. American Joint Committee on Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Advanced neoplastic diseases alter the immune response in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of T-lymphocyte subsets during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and the relationship between T-lymphocyte subsets and tumor recurrence in AJCC stage III gastric cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of T-lymphocyte subsets was performed in 39 patients with stage III gastric adenocarcinoma who had undergone a curative gastric resection and postoperative chemotherapy. CirculatingT-lymphocyte subsets were measured on venous blood by using flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies on preoperative day 1, and postoperative months 1, 3, and 6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year disease-free survival rates of patients with stage 3a and 3b gastric cancer were 57.1% and 33.3%, respectively (p = 0.06). Values of CD3+ and CD4+ T-cells, and CD4+/CD8+ ratios were consistently lower in the recurrence group throughout the observation period. CD4+ T-cell counts were significantly lower in the recurrence group on preoperative day 1, and postoperative months 1 and 6. However, most values of the T-lymphocyte subsets showed no statistically significant difference when comparing the stage 3a and 3b disease patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that immunosuppression associated with CD3+ and CD4+ T-cell depression is a risk factor for postoperative recurrence in patients with stage III gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Korea University, Sungbuk-Gu, Seoul. minyoung@korea.ac.kr
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Joh
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Whang
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal