Study of changes in the immune function of patients with advanced Hepatic carcinoma after intra-arterial thermochemoembolization

Abstract

Objective To study the changes in the immune function of advanced hepatic carcinoma patients after thermochemoembo-lization via hepatic artery. Methods Forty advanced hepatic carcinoma patients were randomized divided into 2 groups. A group (n=20) was treated by perfusion with ADM(40mg) + MMC(10mg) in 37℃ 9% sodium chloride solution via hepatic artery, and B group (n=20) was treated by perfusion with ADM(40mg) + MMC(10mg) in 60℃ 9% sodium chloride solution via hepatic artery, then all were embolized with some quantity of lipiodol. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect the changes in percentages of T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3<'3, CD4<'+, CD8<'+) and NK cells, and the contents of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were detected by double sandwich ELISA before and after therapy. LDH enzyme-release assay was used to detect cytotoxic activity of NK cells. Results Compared with pre-therapy group or A group after therapy, the percentage of CD4<'+ cells of B group after therapy significantly increased (P<0.05), the percentages of CD8<'+ cells and the content of sIL-2R of B group after therapy markedly decreased (P<0.05). The percentages of NK cells and cytotoxic activity NK cells of B group after therapy were significantly higher than those from pre-therapy group or A group (P<0.05). Conclusion Intra-arterial thermochemoembolization may activate and improve cell-mediated immune function with a certain degree. Key words: Hyperthermia, induced; Chemoembolization, therapeutic; Liver neoplasms/TH/IM