Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE

Impairment of cell-mediated immunity in carcinoma of the cervix (CA CX) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are reported. Contradictory reports exist on lymphocyte subpopulations associated with this disease. The present study aims to quantitatively analyze peripheral blood lymphocytes subsets in patients with CA CX and CIN.

METHOD: Systemic T lymphocyte subsets, CD19+, CD16+ and CD56+ cells in 58 CA CX and 10 CIN patients were studied. The lymphocyte phenotypes were quantified by monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD56).

RESULT: Significant decrease in CD4+ cell population was observed in CA CX and CIN patients as compared to controls (P< or =0.05). CD4+/CD8+ ratio was observed to be less in CIN patients (P< or =0.001). Other lymphocyte subpopulations appeared to be comparable between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate immunological abnormalities in invasive CA CX and CIN patients. Study on a larger patient population may provide a biomarker for early detection of this disease.