Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Live Imaging to Study Microtubule Dynamic Instability in Taxane-resistant Breast Cancers
Published on: February 20, 2017
Cellular immunity in breast cancer patients completing taxane treatment
William E Carson1, Charles L Shapiro, Timothy R Crespin
1Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA. Carson-1@medctr.osu.edu
Purpose:
A field study of postchemotherapy immune functioning relative to the use of taxanes is reported. Immune responses in breast cancer patients were analyzed as a function of whether patients received taxane as part of their adjuvant chemotherapy.
Experimental Design:
Immune levels of 227 stage II/III breast cancer patients were measured immediately after surgery prior to chemotherapy and again 12 months later when all chemotherapies had been completed. T-cell blastogenesis and natural killer (NK) cell lysis levels of patients receiving taxanes (n = 55) were compared with levels of patients not receiving taxanes (n = 172).
Results:
Regression analyses were conducted. The administration of taxane as part of combination chemotherapy predicted increased T-cell blastogenesis and NK cell cytotoxicity after the conclusion of all chemotherapies. For the Taxane group, average phytohemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis was 37% higher and NK cell cytotoxicity was 39% higher than the values for the No-Taxane group.
Conclusions:
Data from group comparisons with appropriate controls in a sizable clinical sample contravene traditional wisdom that taxanes suppress patients' immune cell functions. Problems in generalizing direct-contact laboratory models to the field of cancer treatment are highlighted.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...