title: Relationship of cellular immunity, cytokines and CRP with clinical course in breast cancer patients with endocrine-dependent distant metastases treated with immunotherapy.
abstract: We have reported important benefits and survival with an immunotherapy schedule in patients with endocrine-dependent breast cancer and distant metastases. Here clinical outcome is updated and its correlation with new immunological data is shown. In 32 evaluated breast cancer patients with endocrine-dependent distant metastases treated with a new immunotherapy schedule (cyclic administration of beta-interferon and interleukin-2), cellular immunity, cytokines and CRP were related to the clinical course. Estimated and true 5-10 year overall survival rates from first line antiestrogen and distant metastases were higher than previously reported in a similar population. Interleukin-2 administration was followed by a significant increase in total lymphocytes, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+56+ (NK) cells, IL-6, IL-12, and CRP (from P<0.04 to P<0.000) but no change in IL-10 and TGFbeta1 during clinical benefit. During progressive disease no change was observed in the former parameters, concomitant with a significant increase in IL-10 (P=0.020) and a significant decrease in TGFbeta1 (P=0.023). These findings confirm that cellular immunity is significantly stimulated by IL-2 only during clinical benefit. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that different changes of proinflammatory cytokines, CRP and inhibiting factors are consistent with associated clinical benefit or with disease progression, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy. a.nicolini@int.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolini
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017312:Toremifene / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D013629:Tamoxifen; D016899:Interferon-beta; D017312:Toremifene; D002097:C-Reactive Protein