Changes of immunological parameters reflect quality of life-related toxicity during chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
Anticancer drugs may frequently induce host immunosuppression and symptomatic toxicities. Once symptomatic toxicity occurs, the patient's quality-of-life (QOL) is reduced. Since little is known of the relationship between host immunity and the toxicity of chemotherapy, the host immunity before and after chemotherapy was compared to assess whether it is related to symptomatic toxicity during chemotherapy.


METHODS
Fourteen patients with colorectal cancer underwent leucovorin /5-fluorouracil (LV/5-FU) treatment, or S-1/irinotecan (CPT-11). Host immunity (cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels and phenotypic analyses of PBMC were measured before and after the first chemotherapy.


RESULTS
An increase of sIL-2R, CD4+CD25+ T-cells and the CD4/8 ratio in patients with symptomatic adverse reactions were found. These changes in the first chemotherapy were significantly different (p = 0.0211, p = 0.0087, p = 0.0234).


CONCLUSIONS
The current study indicated that there are some parameters correlated with toxicity during chemotherapy which effect QOL. In such patients, negative influences on host immunity, such as an increase of sIL-2R and regulatory T-cells, and a decrease of cytotoxic T-cells could occur.
Yoshimatsu
Kazuhiko
K
Department of Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University Medical Center East, 2-1-10 Nishiogu, Arakawaku, Tokyo 116-8567, Japan.
Kuhara
Kotaro
K
Itagaki
Hiroko
H
Aizawa
Masaki
M
Yokomizo
Hajime
H
Fujimoto
Takashi
T
Otani
Taisuke
T
Osawa
Gakuji
G
Kobayashi
Rie
R
Ogawa
Kenji
K
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011788:Quality of Life; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D016207:Cytokines; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C079198:S 1 (combination); D005641:Tegafur; D010094:Oxonic Acid; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin