Background: The most common malignant tumor in women is breast cancer (BC). The ability of regulatory cells to inhibit cellular immune response as well as to participate in the modulation of antitumor immunity has attracted much interest of scientists. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between the specific and nonspecific vaginal immunity in women with BC. Methods: This was an experimental study. The study involved 278 women, 174 of whom received chemotherapy. The sampling was performed using a universal probe. The qualitative and quantitative assessment of the vaginal microflora was done using the polymerase chain reaction method. Statistical processing of the analysis was performed using the Statistica 10.0 licensed software. The parameters of the immune status before and after chemotherapy were analyzed, and the correlation between the number of cells in the main populations of lymphocytes before and after chemotherapy was investigated. Results: The study of the correlation between the number of cells of the main lymphocyte populations before and after chemotherapy showed an inhibition of B-lymphocytes (CD3-CD19+) in the study group, as the subpopulations of T-cytotoxic (CD4-CD8+) and CD3+HLA-DR+ (activated E-lymphocytes) were increased in both groups. Direct correlations were observed between local vaginal immunity and the immune status of the examined women in the study group between Megasphaera spp. and Enterobacteriaceae, with a certain population of immunocompetent cells. Conclusion: It was concluded that impaired biocenosis and suppression of local immune responses in women with BC were the reason for the active involvement of the components of the immune system.
Keywords: Biocenosis; Malignant Neoplasms Immunoediting; Normal Flora; Obligate Anaerobes; Vaginal Immunity.
© 2021 Iran University of Medical Sciences.