title: Prognostic significance of T helper 1 and 2 and T cytotoxic 1 and 2 cells in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report the prognostic significance of peripheral and tumor-infiltrating Th1, Th2, Tc1 and Tc2 cells in lung cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the rates of interferon (IFN)-gamma+/CD4+ cells (Th1), interleukin (IL)-4+ /CD4+ cells (Th2), IFN-gamma+/CD8+ cells (Tc1), IL-4+ /CD8+ cells (Tc2), and the ratio of Th1 to Th2 and that of Tc1 to Tc2 among peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), in 51 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer, by detecting the intracellular cytokine production using three-color flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with a low Th1/Th2 ratio in peripheral blood lymphocytes had a significantly better prognosis than those with a high Th1/Th2 ratio (5-year survival rate: low: 74.7% vs. high: 50.3%; p=0.038). Patients with a low Th1/Th2 ratio in peripheral blood had a significantly better prognosis than those with a high Th1/Th2 ratio in pathological Stage II or III (5-year survival rate: low: 66.6% vs. high: 18.2%; p=0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high Th1/Th2 ratio in peripheral blood is a negative prognostic factor, especially in pathological Stage II or III non-small cell lung cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Organ Regeneration Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1 Nishimachi, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan. noitou@hotmail.co.jp
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Kiyosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishiguro
authors.forename: Hiroshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Shigetsugu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohgi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*