[Effect of percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy on local immune response in patients with hepatocellular...

To assess the local immune response to percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Seventy-eight patients with HCC underwent PMCT. Samples of cancer and adjacent liver tissues were taken at pre-therapy, and 3, 17 and 30 days after therapy by ultrasound-guided biopsy and were stained by immunohistochemical technique. The CD3, CD45RO, CD56, CD68 and CD20 positive cells were detected in the tissue section and counted under a microscope.

There were some CD3, CD45RO, CD56, CD68 and CD20 positive cells scattered among the cancer stroma and sinusoids and surrounding liver tissue pre-therapy. Those cells increased significantly at the third day post-therapy compared with those of pre-therapy both in cancer and adjacent liver tissues, except CD20 positive cells. The number of infiltrating immunocytes was related to the basic immune state of patients (r = 0.56, P = 0.013). Those immunocytes scattered among the parenchymal area of the tumor, the lumen of small blood vessels and the stroma closing to small vessels. The number of CD45RO and CD56 cells reached their highest point at the day 17 and CD68 positive cells at day 3 and sustained to the day 30 after PMCT. Those immunocytes were seen among the cancer cells and the lumen of small blood vessels after.

The number of immunocytes in the lesion area is increased and the local immune function is enhanced by PMCT.