Long-term Follow-up After Interstitial Laser Thermotherapy of Breast Cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To review the effect of immunological changes induced by interstitial laser thermotherapy (ILT) on long-term outcome of patients with breast cancer.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with invasive breast cancer were treated with ILT followed by standard surgical excision. Immunohistological reactions on immunocompetent cells were performed on specimens obtained before and after ILT. Follow-up time was 116 (range=91-136) months.


RESULTS
Significant prognostic factors were histologically-positive axillary lymph nodes and Ki67 positivity. ILT increased cytotoxic T (CD8(+)) lymphocytes within the tumor and mature dendritic cells (CD83(+)) and reduced the number of T-regulatory cells (Treg) CD25(+)/Forkhead box p3(+) (FOXP3(+)) lymphocytes in regional lymph nodes. These changes did not correlate with prognosis. The number of CD8(+) cells within the tumor, both before and after treatment, was significantly higher in patients with recurrence than in those without recurrence (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Patients with recurrent disease had a lower number of CD57(+) cells in tumor-free lymph nodes than did patients without recurrence (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
ILT did not have any long-term adverse effects. The clinical impact of the supposedly favourable immune changes after ILT should be examined in a larger patient population.
Department of Surgery, Lund University and Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden kristinh@landspitali.is.
Kristín-Huld
KH
Haraldsdóttir
Department of Surgery, Lund University and Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Christian
C
Ingvar
Department of Pathology, Lund University and Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Unne
U
Stenram
Department of Surgery, Lund University and Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Karl-Göran
KG
Tranberg
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human
Breast cancer; laser thermotherapy; minimally invasive treatment; therapy; thermal treatment; tumor immunology