title: Analysis of changes in the total lymphocyte and eosinophil count during immunotherapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma: correlation with response and survival.
abstract: The aims of this study were to analyze lymphocyte and eosinophil counts in consecutive peripheral blood samples taken during immunotherapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and to correlate the findings with objective response and survival. A total of 40 patients with mRCC who received immunotherapy with interleukin-2, interferon-alpha, and 5-fluorouracil were analyzed. Objective responses were observed in 14 patients, including 2 (5%) who showed a complete response (CR) and 12 (30%) who showed a partial response (PR). Eleven patients (27%) achieved stable disease (SD), and 15 patients (38%) had progressive disease (PD). Changes from baseline in the total lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in the responding patients (CR+PR+SD) than in the non-responding patients (PD) (p=0.017), but no difference was seen in the total eosinophil counts (p=0.275). Univariate analysis identified the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (p=0.017), the presence of a primary renal tumor (p<0.001) and the peripheral lymphocyte counts at week 4 (p=0.034) as prognostic factors, but a low ECOG performance status (p=0.003) and the presence of a primary renal tumor (p=0.001) were identified as independent poor prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. This study provides further evidence that changes in blood lymphocyte counts may serve as an objective indicator of objective responses.
authors.affiliation: Urologic Oncology Clinic, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: In Gab
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Kyung Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jae Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Joung
authors.forename: Woo Suk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seung Sik
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Seung Ok
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ho Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Jinsoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kang Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: C508594:IL2 protein, human; D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005472:Fluorouracil