Effect of surgical treatment on lymphoproliferation in advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The capacity of cell immunity to act against tumor cells has been presented as a decisive influence in the prognosis of patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate lymphoproliferation in nonadherent peripheral blood cell cultures of patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer.


METHODS
Fourteen patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer were studied prospectively. Lymphoproliferation was quantified by adding 3H-thymidine and measured in counts/minute using liquid scintillation spectrometry. Based on the ratio between stimulated and baseline cultures, the proliferation index was calculated before and 236 +/- 18 days after the surgery.


RESULTS
Lymphoproliferation was lower in patients than in healthy controls (P = .01) in the preoperative as well as in the late postoperative period (P = .006 and P = .02, respectively). However, there was no change from preoperative to late postoperative.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre- and postoperative results show that patients with advanced supraglottic laryngeal cancer present lymphoproliferation diminished before the surgery, and in the late postoperative period, there was no recovery of immune capacity evaluated by lymphoproliferation measurement.
Conti-Freitas
Luiz Carlos
LC
Head and Neck Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. lcconti@hcrp.fmrp.usp.br
Foss-Freitas
Maria Cristina
MC
Mamede
Rui Celso Martins
RC
Foss
Norma Tiraboschi
NT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013936:Thymidine; D014316:Tritium
D008934:Mitogens; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014316:Tritium; D003208:Concanavalin A; D013936:Thymidine