Effects of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeted combined chemotherapy on immune function, tumor markers and oxidative stress in patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma

Yanxiao Kun; Jian Wu; Shaomu Chen

doi:10.12669/pjms.39.3.7397

Effects of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeted combined chemotherapy on immune function, tumor markers and oxidative stress in patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma

Pak J Med Sci. 2023 May-Jun;39(3):742-746. doi: 10.12669/pjms.39.3.7397.

Authors

Yanxiao Kun¹, Jian Wu², Shaomu Chen³

Affiliations

¹ Yanxiao Kun, Department of Surgery II, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated, Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China.
² Jian Wu, Department of Surgery II, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated, Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China.
³ Shaomu Chen, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 251000, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of EGFR-TKI combined chemotherapy on immune function, tumor markers and oxidative stress in patients with stage-IV lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 116 patients with stage-IV lung adenocarcinoma, treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2021 to January 2022. According to the treatment records, 60 patients that received pemetrexed + cisplatin for four courses were set as a Control-group and 56 patients that received EGFR-TKI + pemetrexed + cisplatin for four courses were set as an Observation-group. Changes in immune function, tumor marker levels and oxidative stress level in the two groups were analyzed and compared.

Results: After the treatment, levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, IgG and IgM in the Control-group were significantly lower than those before the treatment. EGFR-TKI + pemetrexed + cisplatin resulted in levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, IgG and IgM higher than before the treatment, and compared to the Control-group (p<0.001). After the treatment, the levels of NSE, serum CEA, serum CA125, CYFEA21-1 in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, and lower in the Observation-group (p<0.001). After the treatment, VEGF and MMP9 levels in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, and markedly lower in the Observation-group (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Compared with systemic chemotherapy, EGFR-TKI targeted combined chemotherapy for stage-IV lung adenocarcinoma is associated with enhanced immune function of patients. It more effectively inhibits the growth and proliferation of tumor cells and reduces the level of oxidative stress.

Keywords: Epidermal growth factor receptor; Immunity; Oxidative stress; Stage-IV lung adenocarcinoma; Targeting; Tumor markers; Tyrosine kinase inhibitor.