Tumor doubling time and local immune response to hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
A number of studies have investigated the role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in cancer, yet the local immune response to hepatic colorectal cancer metastasis remains unclear. As the tumor doubling time (DT) of hepatic colorectal cancer metastases is a good index of tumor growth, we examined the correlation between tumor DT and the local immune response by phenotype in hepatic colorectal cancer metastases.


METHODS
Tumor DT and local immune response were examined in 20 patients with hepatic colorectal cancer metastases by analyzing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes using flow cytometry or immunohistochemical studies. Tumor proliferative activity was also investigated by determining the expression levels of Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).


RESULTS
Locally abundant populations of CD83(+) dendritic cells (DCs) and CD8(+) T cells were positively related to longer tumor DT (P < 0.05), as were abundant CD8(+) T cells having interferon-gamma-producing potentials (P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between tumor cell expression levels of Ki-67 or PCNA and tumor DT.


CONCLUSIONS
Longer DT tumors have increased local populations of CD8(+) T cells and CD83(+) DCs even in hepatic colorectal cancer metastases.
Kito
Ayako
A
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. kito427@yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Tanaka
Kuniya
K
Fujimaki
Haruka
H
Nakazawa
Masatoshi
M
Togo
Shinji
S
Minami
Mutsuhiko
M
Shimada
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D000097802:CD83 Antigen
D015703:Antigens, CD; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D000097802:CD83 Antigen