An assessment of selected immune parameters of patients with Hodgkin's disease

Malignancy and oncologic treatment lead to various secondary immune disorders. In particular, little is known regarding immune reconstitution following cancer therapy. Lymphocytes, their subpopulations and immunoglobulin serum concentrations were assessed in patients with Hodgkin's disease at diagnosis (group I, 26 patients), cessation of therapy (group II, 21 patients) and 2 years after treatment (group III, 18 patients). Absolute lymphocyte count was significantly decreased in group II only (15/21 vs. 6/26 and 0/18 patients). In group I, the absolute count of the following subsets were decreased: Cluster of differentiation 19⁺ (CD19⁺) (18/26 patients), CD3⁺ (13/26), CD3⁺CD4⁺ (11/26) and CD3⁺CD8⁺ (7/26). In group II, the reduction of CD19⁺, CD3⁺ and CD3⁺CD4⁺ cell counts was evident (12/21, 16/21 and 19/21 patients, respectively), with the CD3⁺CD4⁺/CD3⁺CD8⁺ ratio distinctly lowered in the majority of patients (16/21). Similar changes in the percentages of lymphocyte subsets were observed. In the majority of patients in group III, the percentage of lymphocyte subsets were normal, but absolute lymphocyte counts were elevated (CD19⁺ in 11/18, CD3⁺ in 12/18, CD3⁺CD4⁺ in 13/18 and CD3⁺CD8⁺ in 11/18 patients). In half the patients at diagnosis, immunoglobulin G (IgG) was significantly elevated. In conclusion, disorders assessed in the percentage distribution and individual subpopulations of lymphocytes was applicable mainly to patients at the time of the diagnosis and shortly following completion of treatment. The analysis of time-distant consequences showed disorders only in the content of the percentage of CD4⁺ memory cells. The concentration of IgG at the time of diagnosis was significantly elevated in half the patients, which is possibly associated with the pathogenesis of the disease. The treatment does not appear to noticeably affect the production of IgG, IgA and IgM.