EFFECT OF RADICAL MASTECTOMY ON IMMUNE COMPETENT CELLS

Abstract

In order to appreciate immunodepression following radical mastectomy, number and condition of peripheral lymphocytes were examined.Blood samples were drawn on the preoperative day and on the 3rd, 7th and 14th postoperative days from 11 breast cancer patients. The peripheral lymphocyte subsets (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8 and OK1al positive cells) were determined by flowcytometry using respective monoclonal antibodies. Lymphocyte blastogenesis was evaluated by the ethidium bromide flourescence assey.Lymphocyte numbers were significantly decreased for postoperative 3 days and returned to the preoperative levels by the 7th postoperative day. The ratios in each of the lymphocyte subsets did not show any change throughout the investigation period. The absolute counts of each of OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8 positive cells were significantly decreased for 3 days after operation and returned to the preoperative levels by the 7th postoperative day. The lymphocyte blastogenesis was significantly depressed for 3 days after operation and returned to the preoperative level by the 7th postoperative day.It is considered that the postoperative immune depression is physiological reaction to maintain human homeostasis, however, it is disadvantageous for cancer patients, because of its possible enhancement of metastasis and progress of the disease. Accordingly, it is available to know the immune status of cancer patients for postoperative management.