IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF BONE MARROW IN NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Abstract

Introduction Generation of most immunocompetent cells takes place in bone marrow Bone marrow. As well, bone marrow is a peripheral lymphoid organ where antitumor effector cells and memory cells are present. The aim of the work is to estimate peripheral lymphoid cell subpopulations in bone marrow of lung cancer patients. Materials and methods Study has been done in 68 pts with lung cancer: squamous cell cancer (n = 28), adenocarcinoma (n = 38), other forms (n = 2). In all cases standard diagnostic and staging procedures were performed, as well as morphological (myelogram) and immunological study of bone marrow lymphocyte subpopulations. Multicolor Flow cytomtry was used for study of bone marrow lymphocyte populations. We studied T-cells and its subpopulations, B-cells, NK-cells, perforin-positive cells, and CD27-positive cells. Results Squamous cell lung cancer was characterized by higher content of bone marrow mature T-cells (CD3), and CD8 lymphocytes. More typical for adenocarcinoma was mature B-cell reaction (CD20). Effector (perforin-positive) populations of lymphocytes also were related to histological type of cancer: for adenocarcinoma presence of CD4-positive cytotoxic lymphocytes and CD27-expression on effector cells. Perforin-containing lymphoid cells were in opposite correlation to erythrocaryocytes. Conclusion Subpopulational lymphocyte content of bone marrow is related to histological variant of cancer and erythropoiesis in lung cancer patients.