title: Preoperative sorting of circulating T lymphocytes in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: its prognostic significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the immunologic parameters for the outcome of patients with malignant tumors, especially esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) associated with high malignant potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicopathologic features were compared between patients with lower and higher CD4 and CD8 values as well as CD4/CD8 ratio in peripheral blood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survival rate of patients with higher CD4 value was significantly better than that in patients with lower CD4 value (P = 0.039). The survival rate of patients with higher CD8 value was significantly worse than that of patients with lower CD8 value (P = 0.026). Similarly, the survival rate of patients with higher CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly better than that of patients with lower CD4/CD8 ratio (P = 0.042). Additionally, multivariate analysis demonstrated that lower CD8 and lower CD4/CD8 ratio were factors independently associated with worse prognosis of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All the immunologic parameters can predict the outcome of patients with ESCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Fukuoka Higashi Medical Center, Koga 811-3195, Japan. ntvb@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tadahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nozoe
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate