[Changes of immune function in liver cancer patients after transcatheter arterial chemoembolizaton combined with interstitial therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes of immune function in patients with liver cancer after transcatheter arterial chemoembolizaton (TACE) combined with interstitial therapy.


METHODS
Forty patients with liver cancer were randomly divided into groups A and B to received TACE and TACE combined with percutaneous lipiodol and anti-cancer agent injection into the tumor. The T lymphocyte cell subsets in the peripheral blood before and one week after the operation were measured by flow cytometry, and the immunoglobulin contents determined by single radial immunodiffusion.


RESULTS
CD3, CD4, and CD4/8 levels increased significantly after the operation in both groups A and B (P<0.05). The postoperative CD3 and CD4 levels, but not that of CD8, differed significantly between the two groups (P<0.05). The operations also resulted in an increase in the contents of the immunoglobulins and complements in the two groups, but the changes were not significant in group A (P>0.05); in group B, significant increases occurred in the immunoglobulin and complement levels (P<0.05) with the exception of C3.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of TACE and interstitial therapy with percutaneous intratumor injections of lipiodol and anti-cancer agents may better improve the cell-mediated immunity and humoral immune function of liver cancer patients.
Quan
Yi
Y
Oncology Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. quany_i@sina.com
Liu
Jian-Gang
JG
Cai
Yue-Cheng
YC
Zhang
Ji-Ren
JR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004998:Ethiodized Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
D007136:Immunoglobulins; D004998:Ethiodized Oil