engleski

Prognostic value of immune status parameters in patients with melanoma

Complex relations between immune system and development and progression of melanoma have been widely investigated and well documented. Cancer immunoediting model explains how immune system can both inhibit and facilitate melanoma progression. However, data about clinical relevance of immune status parameters as prognostic markers in patients with melanoma are still inconclusive. The aim of this study was to determine prognostic value of different immune status parameters in patients with melanoma. Blood samples from 129 patients with melanoma in all stages of the disease were analyzed. All blood samples were obtained upon diagnosis before any systemic therapy. In all blood samples proportions of lymphocyte subsets, NK cell activity and phagocytic functions of granulocytes and monocytes were analyzed as parameters of immune status. Proportions of T cells (CD3+), B cells (CD19+), helper T cells (CD3+CD4+), cytotoxic T cells (CD3+CD8+), NK cells (CD3-CD16+CD56+), and activated T cells (CD3+HLA-DR+) were determined by flow-cytometry. NK cell activity was assayed by the measurement of the release of 51Cr in a standard cytotoxicity assay. Phagocytic functions were assayed based on ingestion capacity and microbicidity of granulocytes and monocytes and expressed as ingestion index and percentage of microbicidity. Patients were followed-up to determine prognostic value of immune status. Of all the investigated immune status parameters only the proportion of activated T cells (CD3+HLA-DR+) was associated with time to progression (Cox regression, p=0.0003, hazard ratio=1.07 (95%CI:1.03-1.11)) and with overall survival (Cox regression, p=0.009, hazard ratio=1.06 (95%CI:1.01-1.11)). Other analyzed parameters of immune status were associated neither with time to progression nor with overall survival. Our study did not show clinically relevant prognostic value of non-specific immune status parameters analyzed in peripheral blood of patients with melanoma.

immune status; melanoma; prognosis

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