title: Unfavorable clinical implications of circulating CD44+ lymphocytes in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radiochemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the use of cellular immunity parameters as predictors of therapy response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Circulating lymphocytes were measued by flow cytometry in 94 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients following radiochemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly decreased percentage of CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) lymphocytes, significantly increased proportion of CD44(+), CD25(+), NK lymphocytes, and an increased CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio were indicated in NPC patients as compared with healthy controls. Circulating CD44(+) lymphocytes in both the N2/N3 and III/IV groups were significantly increased as compared to the N0/N1 and I/II groups, respectively (P<0.05). A significant decrease in CD19(+) lymphocytes was observed in the III/IV group as compared with the I/II group (P<0.05). After radiochemotherapy, NPC patients had significantly (P<0.05) decreased percentages of CD4(+), CD44(+), and CD19(+) lymphocytes and a decreased CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio, whereas the mean percentages of CD8(+) and NK lymphocytes were significantly (P<0.05) increased. However, compared with the pre-radiochemotherapy values, no significant (P>0.05) changes in CD3(+) or CD25(+) lymphocytes were observed in the NPC-treated group. Follow-up analysis indicated significantly lower DFS for patients with high CD44(+) lymphocytes compared to those with low CD44(+) lymphocytes after radiochemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circulating CD44(+) lymphocytes seems to be a promising criterion to predict survival in NPC patients undergoing radiochemotherapy.
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, Zhejiang Province Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang Cancer Center, Banshanqiao District, Hangzhou, PR China.
authors: Fu-Jun
authors: FJ
authors: Hu
authors: Ming-Hua
authors: MH
authors: Ge
authors: Pei
authors: P
authors: Li
authors: Chang-Chun
authors: CC
authors: Wang
authors: Yu-Tian
authors: YT
authors: Ling
authors: Wei-Min
authors: WM
authors: Mao
authors: Zhi-Qiang
authors: ZQ
authors: Ling
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000097:blood*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors