Immunological aspects predicting metastatic sentinel lymph node in early breast cancer patients

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) Vol. 50; p. S140
• Main Authors: Bordea, C, Blidaru, A, Plesca, M, Condrea, I, Bordea, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-03-2014
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852

Tumour antigens are poorly expressed, heterogeneous, they modulate rapidly. As a result, their recognition and elimination by the immune system is very difficult. There are several mechanisms by means of which the host can neutralize oncogenesis and prevent it from occurring. The sentinel lymph node concept has brought about a revolution in the surgical treatment of the regional lymphatic basin while preserving the prognostic value of the regional lymph node status in breast cancer. This prospective study included 93 women with early breast cancer with initial indication for surgery in whom the sentinel lymph node technique was employed. Cell immune response was assessed prior to surgery by means of in vitro mononuclear cells blastic transformation assay (BLT), of immunoglobulin (Ig) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) measurements. The results were correlated with tumour size, presence of positive sentinel lymph node, tumour proliferation and growth markers (Ki-67, c-erbB2, bcl-2). Breast cancer, even in its less advanced stages, is more aggressive and associates with an increased rate of sentinel lymph node metastases in patients below 50 years of age, tumour size exceeding 20 mm, with the presence of peritumoural lymphocytic infiltrate, with positive Ki-67 and bcl-2, with an alteration of T helper (Th) lymphocytes function, increased immune suppression through lL-2 decrease, signalled by blastic transformation indexes modifications and a drop in IL-2 production (p <0.01).