The analysis of Treg lymphocyte blood percentage changes in patients with head and neck cancer during combined oncological treatment: a preliminary report

Magdalena Dutsch-Wicherek; Katarzyna Chaberek; Adrianna Makarewicz; Ierant Antoni S; Jacek Witwicki; Ireneusz Bielecki; Łukasz Wicherek

doi:10.5114/ceji.2020.103417

The analysis of Treg lymphocyte blood percentage changes in patients with head and neck cancer during combined oncological treatment: a preliminary report

Cent Eur J Immunol. 2020;45(4):409-413. doi: 10.5114/ceji.2020.103417. Epub 2021 Jan 30.

Authors

Magdalena Dutsch-Wicherek¹, Katarzyna Chaberek², Adrianna Makarewicz^{2

3}, Ierant Antoni S², Jacek Witwicki², Ireneusz Bielecki⁴, Łukasz Wicherek²

Affiliations

¹ Center of Postgraduate Medical Education (CMKP), Warsaw, Poland.
² nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center of Postgraduate Medical Education (CMKP), Warsaw, Poland.
³ Lukaszczyk Oncological Center in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
⁴ Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Paediatric Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: In patients with cancer, Treg lymphocytes seem to play an important role in promoting tumour growth. The number of circulating Treg cells has been associated with poor survival among patients suffering from various types of cancers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in the percentage levels of Treg lymphocytes in the blood samples of patients with head and neck cancer during combined treatment with respect to the stage of the disease and the intensity of the radiation reaction as monitored using the Dische scale.

Material and methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 20 head and neck cancer patients prior to the combined oncological treatment, during, and then one week after the completion of the therapy.

Results: A statistically significantly higher percentage of CD3⁺/CD4⁺/CD25⁺/FoxP3⁺/CD127(^-/low) T cells within the CD3⁺/CD4⁺ T cell population was detected in patients during radiotherapy (RTH), chemotherapy (CTH), and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) than before the treatment began (p < 0.0001). A statistically significantly higher percentage of CD3⁺/CD4⁺/CD25⁺/FoxP3⁺/CD127(^-/low) T cells within the CD3⁺/CD4⁺ T cell population was detected after RTH/CRT than before treatment, with respect to the radiation reaction as evaluated using the Dische scale (p = 0.0150).

Conclusions: The increase in the percentage of Treg cells correlated with an increase in the intensity of the radiation reaction measured using the Dische scale which indicates the advance of the oral mucositis reaction to RTH. In conclusion, because the role of Treg lymphocytes in cancer patients is complex, it is necessary to monitor the percentages of these cells in patients during combined oncological therapies.

Keywords: Dische scale; Treg cells; head and neck cancer; radiotherapy (RTH).