Immunity conditions analysis of retinoblastoma in children at preliminary diagnosis

Abstract

Objective To observe the immunity conditions of children with retinoblastoma (RB) at preliminary diagnosis, and to explore the differences in immunity levels among children with RB at the same age period but at different clinical stages or with unilateral or bilateral RB, in order to provide basis for the immune regulation and support of RB. Methods Childhood RB patients were selected from those admitted to the hematologic tumor center of Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2011 to June 2014 were selected. RB International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification was used as the standard of diagnosis, staging and clinical risk.The percentages of serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA and IgM) and cellular immunity indexes including total T-lymphocytes, helper T-lymphocytes (THL) and suppressor T-lymphocytes(TSL), natural killer cells were tested, and the ratio between THL and TSL (CD4+ /CD8+ ) were also determined. Results (1)The humoral immunity showed no significant diffe-rence in Ig levels among RB children in different clinical stages and unilateral or bilateral RB, and those with same clinical stage and unilateral or bilateral RB. The IgA level in patients younger than 1 year old was significantly lower than that of the normal children( 3 years old children patients at the same age (P=0.033, 0.031); bilateral RB: CD4+ /CD8+ ratio of E stage was significantly lower than that of A-D stages in 1 to 3 years old and >3 years old children patients at the same age (P=0.026, 0.046). The THL level of E stage was significantly lower than that of A-D stages in 1-3 years old children patients with bilateral RB (P=0.040). In the identical clinical stage: for children >3 years old, the CD4+ /CD8+ ratios in the patients with bilateral RB were significantly lower than those in the patients with unilateral RB (P=0.027). Conclusion The genesis and development of RB may be related to the changes in immunity conditions, especially the cellular immunity indexes.To monitor the subpopulations of T cells can provide the guidance for prognosis prediction and the application of relevant immune regulation drugs. Key words: Retinoblastoma; Preliminary diagnosis; Immunity index