Background: To investigate the effects of double radiofrequency hyperthermia on Th1/Th2 cells in esophageal cancer patients treated with radiotherapy.
Materials and methods: 22 patients with esophageal cancer were divided into a radiotherapy group (10 cases) and a combined group (double radiofrequency hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy group, 12 cases). Both groups received conventional radiotherapy using a cobalt-60 therapy apparatus (TD60-66Gy/30-33F). Patients in the combined group also underwent double radiofrequency hyperthermia (2F/W, 8-10F). Before and after treatment, Th1, Th2, Tc1 and Tc2 cells in peripheral blood were determined with flow cytometry.
Results: In the radiotherapy group, Th1 cell contents before and after radiotherapy were 17.5 ± 5.26% and 9.69 ± 4.86%, respectively, with a significant difference (p<0.01). The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly decreased from 28.2 ± 14.3 to 16.5 ± 10.4 (p<0.01). In the combined group, Th1 cell content before radiotherapy was 15.9 ± 8.18%, and it increased to 18.6 ± 8.84 after radiotherapy (p>0.05), the Th1/Th2 ratio decreasing from 38.4 ± 36.3 to 28.1 ± 24.0 (p>0.05). Changes in Th2, Tc1 and Tc2 cell levels were not significant in the two groups before and after therapy (p>0.05).
Conclusions: Double radiofrequency hyperthermia can promote the conversion from Th2 to Th1 cells, and regulate the balance of Th1/Th2 cells.